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WOW! Women On Writing is an e-zine that promotes the communication between women writers, authors, editors, agents, publishers and readers.
Our blog (AKA: The Muffin) posts about women and writing, publishing industry news, and updates for our quarter
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Focus is at the heart of success. Unfortunately, we do not live in a world that nurtures concentration and single-minded devotion to one’s art. So, how can you minimize those pesky interruptions that keep you from writing?
Digital DistractionsLet’s start with all things online – they are just beckoning for your time and attention. Luckily, there are some tricks to reduce your susceptibility to those online Sirens.
- Only check email, social networking and news sites once or twice a day. If absolutely necessary, check every hour but only for five minutes
- Turn off email and smart phone notifications of any sort while you are writing
- Close your Internet Browser while you’re working – do your research beforehand
- If feasible have a dedicated computer or lap top that is strictly for writing – nothing else, not even checking the weather
Activity DistractionsOf course, not all activity distractions are digital. You may be pulled in by your favorite TV show or sidetracked by the need to clean the house from top to bottom. It’s also not unusual that cravings for ice cream or potato chips supersede the writing process (I’m in the potato chips category). Here are some tips to minimize the temptation to self-interrupt:
- Create a very calm and nurturing writing environment
- Remove TVs from your writing area
- If at all, only keep very small amounts of snack food in your writing area
- Leave all reading material that is not immediately related to your novel outside your writing space – read for fun in other areas of the house that you can’t see from your desk
People DistractionsWhile you have quite a bit of control regarding the Internet and activities that pull you away from your novel, people distractions are a little bit more complex. Setting boundaries can be challenging.
First of all, decide on the people who are allowed unlimited access to you – such as small children. Then list the people who are very dear to you but would be fine with you being unavailable at times. In these cases, telling people in advance when you are busy is most helpful – especially when you live in the same house.
People on your periphery are much easier to deal with. A simple, “Sorry but I am really busy right now. Can we do this later?” usually does the trick. In addition,
- Turn off your cell phone while you are working – or at least your message notifications
- Assign a gate keeper if you are living with somebody - that person can screen phone calls and visitors for you
- Protect your writing time with velvet fists
- Practice saying no to anything you don’t really want to do
No more distractions – let the words take over!
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Renate Reimann, PhD (bottom photo) is a co-instructor in the upcoming class, WRITING YOUR NOVEL FROM THE GROUND UP: How to Build Your Story While Building Yourself as a Writer for Long-Term Success–In Two Parts. Part I starts on Tuesday, September 17, 2013. For more information, visit our classroom page.
I am excited to introduce you to Shermie Rayne, who won second place in the Spring 2013 Flash Fiction contest with her haunting, vivid, and amazing story, "Revolution." This is one of my favorite flash fiction pieces I've ever read--first because I love the genre, historical fiction, and don't read it much in flash fiction. But most of all, Shermie was able to take a terrifying event and show us less than 750 words how it affected the rest of the main character's life, as well as share the character's emotions and fears. If you haven't read "Revolution" yet, please take the time to do
so now right here. Shermie, a native of Kentucky, currently resides in Virginia with her husband and four children. Other than a futile attempt at penning a
True Confessions inspired story at the age of eleven, she is a recent newcomer to the wondrous world of writing. A graduate of Bellarmine University, and a former registered nurse, when Rayne was confronted with the angst of middle age, she decided to try her hand at writing, instead of returning to hospital scrubs.
Although she still reads more than she writes, Rayne has completed a couple short stories and has several novels in various stages of development brewing, including her current project,
Faye, a young-adult fantasy novel. If you’d like to follow Rayne along on her writing journey, please visit her blog:
http://shermierayne.wordpress.com/.
WOW: Welcome, Shermie! What gave you the inspiration for "Revolution"?Shermie: I believe the story seed for "Revolution" was planted when I became aware of certain events that occurred to some of the colonial women and girls during the Revolutionary War. Just prior to writing "Revolution," I had recently heard/read of a famous British Army quote from that time period: “The fair nymphs of this isle are in wonderful tribulation…” ~Francis, Lord Rawdon.
It bothered me, or more precisely the history behind the quote’s meaning…well, it angered me. Not because atrocities of that nature didn’t happen, or don’t still happen, but because it had occurred so ostentatiously, with such blatant disregard, here in America. I envisioned being a mother with a young daughter to protect, and from that place of desperation, "Revolution" was born.
WOW: I had never heard that quote before, and really, there are no words when you hear something like that. You responded to it like many writers would--pouring out your heart in a beautiful story. Do you write historical fiction often? Why or why not?Shermie: While I do enjoy reading historical fiction, I’ve never written it. Because I have a tendency to be thorough and sometimes get “hung up” on the details, I have/had this conception that to write in this genre would be extremely time consuming and tedious because of the absoluteness it requires in authenticity. With that said, I’m a firm believer in the “never say never” motto. In fact, I couldn’t help myself and have a loose outline sketched and plan to continue with "Revolution" and see it through to novel length (someday).
My ultimate hope for my writing is not to be boxed into a genre or category—I want to allow the stories to define themselves and their own placement. The short story I worked on prior to "Revolution" was straight up horror. My current novel-in-progress is fantasy based, while the other stories in waiting range from dystopian to family drama.
WOW: I would love to read a novel version of "Revolution." So, was it hard to pack all that emotion & history into one less-than-750-word story? Why or why not?Shermie: In all honesty: no, it was not hard. I believe when a writer feels emotion(s) with a piece, the reader will, too. I had an incredibly moving vision with this story and knew it was meant to be shared. I was affected by the unfairness of the circumstance and wanted to give the mother power--and her own form of revolution (which was to hide and protect her daughter). All stories need the element of hope, even in dire circumstances-- and its character(s) need the ability, or the possibility, to remain resolute.
So, I quickly scribbled what I had seen onto legal paper, and from there, added the historical details and what I call “senses layering”, followed by editing (and cutting my word count). I purposely wrote this piece in first person, present tense to accentuate that forward feel of urgency and distraught dismay.
WOW: Thank you so much for sharing your writing process with us. I bet that will help some of our writers out there! According to your bio, you switched from a career in nursing to a career in writing. What made you switch?Shermie: I was actually in a hiatus from the nursing profession. I had spent the last decade producing and growing a nice, little crop of children. But alas, the time flew by until I had a horrific consternation of realization: my kids were not so little anymore, and they wouldn’t always be so needy. I racked my brain thinking of different avenues to pursue for myself. With my three youngest children, at that time, heading off to jr. kindergarten, third and fifth grades, respectively, I knew I still needed a super flexible schedule, and I just couldn’t see how returning to nursing could work in our busy family life. So, I considered making and selling crafts(I’m not really crafty), working at Lowe's, decluttering other people’s homes, and/or maybe picking out their next paint colors--and then painting their newly decluttered spaces. My list of crazy ideas was boundless! My then eight-year-old daughter had spent that summer continuously writing stories, really excellent and creative stuff—I was so impressed and enamored with her abilities. I became her reader and editor, cooing and gushing over her while also guiding her with pointers and corrections. And, then the big idea hit me: you could write, too! So, I did.
WOW: That is awesome--I love your list of things you could do AND how your daughter inspired you to write. Your bio also mentions you have novels in various stages. So, what's your writing process like?Shermie: My writing process is ever evolving, But basically boils down to: imagining, writing, and editing. I have been blessed in that the material that I actually want to write comes to me quite easily (so far-- knock on wood). So naturally, this is the best part of the writing process for me, and the aspect that I love the most—there’s nothing like being sucked into a little scene that plays out in your head. So my process begins there and continues in this thinking/imagining mode until I have a loose, but solid, outline.
Inspiration often hits me at very inconvenient times (e.g., the shower or driving), so that by the time that I’m ready to start writing, I have a file folder full of a gazillion hand-written scraps of paper, napkins, Post-its, and sketchy outlines to integrate into the story. I don’t start typing until I have a decent understanding of key characters, and I’ve seen the story’s ending, beginning, and several important scenes (usually in that order). From there, it’s all about imputing the story into the computer. I’m always amazed that there are a lot of details and extra material that spontaneously adds itself to the story along the way. My least favorite aspect of writing would have to be editing (and typing)!
One new tool that I started using with my current novel-in-progress is to keep a novel journal. I read of Sue Grafton using this technique with her novels, so I gave it a try. And it has made all the difference to me. I can flip back to the earliest entries that were written well before I even considered typing, and I can really get a feel for my characters and the story’s needs and wants.
WOW: That sounds a lot like a "novel bible." It is so important to keep notes! It sounds like you are also an avid reader. Can you tell us one or two titles you've read recently that you've really enjoyed?Shermie: I’d say I’m rather an odd reader, I suppose. Between audiobooks, my Kindle, and actual “real” books, I have to have at least five to seven different books going at once, perhaps this reminds me of my college days, but I enjoy the variety and a wide array of genres.
I was very reluctant to embrace audiobooks at first, believing that I was a visual leaner and I’d not enjoy it; I was completely wrong (thanks, Amy). Audiobooks account for roughly half of my total “reading” time, which allows me to increase the number of books that I’m exposed to. But the greatest benefit: I believe it helps me greatly in my own writing. While visually reading books, one can absorb structure and story flow (which is awesome, too); however, when listening to the cadence of the human voice through storytelling, you can gain the feel for the rhythm and rhyme of words—which definitely can help writers. I love this quote by Virginia Woolf, “Style is a very simple matter; it is all rhythm. Once you get that, you can't use the wrong words.”
I just completed my summer-reading log through my local library system. (You know, trying to set a good example for my kiddos.) From that list of twenty-four books, if I had to choose just two books, I’d say,
The Color Purple by Alice Walker and
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. The former not only because it’s written in epistolary-letter form (which I love), but because the voice of the story rings true; the latter book is actually a wonderfully encouraging and poignant book on writing, which I highly recommend to any writer.
WOW: I love Bird by Bird, too! Thanks for a wonderful interview, Shermie. We wish you the best of luck! Interview by Margo L. Dill. To find out about Margo and her books, visit www.margodill.com.
& giveaway contest!
Loving the Missing Link is a fabulous tale about love, success, hope and music. During the 1970s, Young Cheryl Simpson feels trapped in her small Missouri town. As her mother tries to help her find a way up and out, Cheryl begins to feel that it is all an impossible dream. She sees herself living a boring and dismal life for the rest of her days. Just at the moment when she is about to give up on happiness, she gets the opportunity to join her high school band. The band promises a connection with the world outside her town, but Cheryl does not see any future for herself in music. It is just a tool to get where she wants to go. However, Cheryl’s mother arranges for Cheryl to take private lessons with an accomplished musician, who helps her realize the beauty and awesome power of music.
Still, Cheryl feels that small-town inferiority and finds it too hard to believe that she could ever be anyone special out in the “real” world. On the eve of a music contest that could help her earn a music scholarship, Cheryl begins to panic. Scared and feeling alone, Cheryl runs off with her high school sweetheart and gets married, leaving the band behind.
During the next years, Cheryl and her husband make a life for themselves. Cheryl meets friends along the way who help guide her to becoming the woman she wants to be. She becomes interested in the arts again. All the while, Cheryl and husband Jerry face the challenges of homelessness, miscarriage and an extra-marital affair before an unexpected disaster brings Cheryl’s life crashing to the ground. Cheryl survives, with the help of her extraordinary friends and her life-long love for music.
Paperback: 190 Pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing (August 6, 2013)
ISBN-10: 1480106240
Twitter hashtag: #LMLThomas
Loving the Missing Link is available as a print and e-book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.
Book Giveaway Contest:To win a copy of
Loving the Missing Link, please enter using the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post. The giveaway contest closes this Friday, September 13th at 12:00 AM EST. We will announce the winner the same day in the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!
About the Author:Julia Asel Thomas writes stories with vivid descriptions, authentic dialogue and revealing narration. Her debut book, Loving the Missing Link, presents the engrossing and moving story of a young, small town girl who grows up, lives and loves while trying to find a balance between despair and hope.
Like the protagonist in her debut novel,
Loving the Missing Link, Julia Asel Thomas knows small town life. However, Julia’s experiences were quite different than Cheryl’s. Julia is the middle child of seven children and the daughter of a church organist and a business manager. Growing up in the small town of Hamilton, Missouri, Julia’s family enjoyed a reputation as a bright and interesting family. Julia thrived on the quiet and carefree life she lived in that gentle place.
When Julia was in high school, she earned a scholarship for a trip to Cali, Colombia as a foreign exchange student. The experience, although it only lasted a few brief months, had a profound influence on the rest of her life. After her time abroad, Julia realized in a very real way that, although customs may differ from culture to culture, the substance of human emotions is constant. We all need love. We all need to feel secure. We all have happy moments and sad moments. Back from Colombia, Julia become ever more interested in capturing these human emotions through music and writing.
After high school, Julia took a break before going on to college. During this time, she married her husband, Will. Will joined the Air Force, and Julia accompanied him to bases around the country, taking college classes in each town where they resided. Their two children were born in Las Vegas, Nevada, while Will was stationed at Nellis Air Force Base. Married in 1976, Julia and Will are thrilled to celebrate each new anniversary and look forward to staying together for life.
Julia began writing fiction at the age of ten, when her 5th grade teacher gave her the assignment to write about “My Worst Day.” Julia took the opportunity to concoct every possible disaster a young child could face during the course of a normal day. The teacher loved her work and asked her to read it to the class. From then on, Julia wanted nothing more than to be a writer.
In 2007, Julia began earning her living by writing articles, press releases and website content for a number of clients. As she settled into a routine of working every day on her writing, the old urge to write fiction resurfaced. In 2012, Julia started with a story she had written in 1985 and continued it to create the story in Loving the Missing Link.
After Julia’s husband, Will retired from the Air Force, they moved back to Missouri and now live in Kansas City, Missouri. Find out more about this author by visiting her online:
Author blog:
http://lovingthemissinglink.com/Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7171277.Julia_Asel_ThomasFacebook:
http://www.facebook.com/JuliaAselThomasTwitter:
http://twitter.com/juliasselthom-----Interview by Crystal J. Otto WOW: Julia, I loved the little book store Sid’s Shelves in Loving the Missing Link, is that mirrored after a particular shop and did you really work at a quaint little book store?Julia: No, the store was just a conglomeration of images and experiences I’ve had in similar bookstores around the Kansas City area. A book store called “Rainy Day Books” comes to mind when I think of a relaxed place to buy high-quality books, but Sid’s Shelves is it own unique entity. As I was writing, I came to enjoy the parts that took place in that fictional store. It just felt like home. I have never worked in a bookstore, but I did work in a library for a short time years ago. I loved handling the books and choosing the ones I wanted to read as they came through the back room, which is an element I included in the story.
WOW: I can picture you really enjoying a bookstore like that; glad you made it part of the story. At the beginning of Loving the Missing Link, your depiction of bassoon lessons and the instrument itself is very detailed. Are you a bassoon player and can you tell us more about the importance of music in your writing career and life?Julia: I did play bassoon when I was in school. Unfortunately, I didn’t own the instrument. My parents had planned to buy me a bassoon if I had chosen to major in music, but I decided on English instead. I did take lessons from an accomplished bassoon player, but unlike in the story, he didn’t have to convince me to love the bassoon—I already did. Music has always been a passion of mine. Of course, nearly everyone on the planet enjoys some kind of music at one time or another. For me, music has been a constant companion. However, I am not able to play music as I once did. I have developed a strong tremor in my hands—enough so that I can’t play the piano anymore. I sold mine to my son Damon last summer. In fact, Damon was my inspiration for having Cheryl learn the guitar. He often comes over to my house, carrying his guitar, and when he does, I know I am in for a treat. I don’t plan on writing another story that is so heavily dependent on music, but who knows? It is an important part of my life.
WOW: Music seems to as important in your life as in your story, I have a feeling there will be more musical stories in your future. That was one of the things I really enjoyed about Loving the Missing Link!I struggled with the insecurities of young Cheryl; she seemed to lack self-confidence and direction; is that how you felt as a young girl? What can you credit for pushing you forward as the independent woman you are today? Julia: I started out being very independent. I only began to have trouble around 1985, when I was a 20-something student at Wichita State University. I had suffered a major crisis of confidence and was feeling very lost and insecure. The professors and other students were wonderful and tried to encourage me. I felt they expected too much of me, and I felt inadequate to live up to expectations. Not coincidentally, this was the time when I wrote the first two chapters of
Loving the Missing Link. When I went back to it to make it into a novel, I tried to recapture those feelings in order to maintain some semblance of consistency throughout the book.
After leaving WSU, I floundered for a long time, not feeling strong enough or good enough to do anything productive. Then, one day, my daughter offered to set me up with her copywriting client so I would have something to occupy my time. In less than a month, I had transitioned from doing nothing to writing 12 to 14 hours a day, 7 days a week. The pay was abysmally low, but over the years it has increased tremendously. What is important is that the copywriting helped me develop a strong discipline for writing. It also made me realize that I could indeed do something worthwhile that could be valued by others. My life has never been the same. My independence, then, was a direct result of hard work and the increased self-confidence I gained while copywriting.
WOW: I’m glad you found the encouragement you need—no one wants to feel lost and insecure. It’s nice to have friends in your corner when it comes to self-publishing. Was there one person in particular who was really the driving force behind your publishing Loving the Missing Link? Julia: I felt a strong sense of urgency to get this book in print. After all, I wrote the first two chapters in 1985, and my greatest dream for all these years since was to complete the novel and publish it. Now that it is done, I feel more patient. I am considering other avenues for publishing my current novel, a work in progress.
WOW: You certainly are patient. I'm glad you didn't wait any longer and that you kept pushing for your dream of publishing. More and more people are opting for self-publishing, so you are not alone in your decision. What is your favorite book? What is it about that book that you love so much?Julia: My favorite book changes yearly. Right now, my favorite book is Thomas Mann’s
The Magic Mountain. It is actually a translation from the original German text, but the translation is so spot-on that it is a joy to read. Plus, Mann is such a master of description and characterization that it energizes me in my own writing.
WOW: Being energized and feeling supportive can make all the difference when taking on any challenge. Speaking of which, has your community been supportive with your writing goals? Julia: I was invited to join the Kansas City Writers Group a few years ago. The problem was that I am not much of a driver and didn’t have any way to get there. Now that my husband is retired, he has offered to drive me any time I want to go. He is so sweet that way. So, I intend to get involved with them as soon as possible.
WOW: Sounds like your husband really is your number one fan; that’s so sweet!
When did you first consider yourself an author? Julia: That is an interesting question, Crystal. In fact, one day in the last month, I looked at a friend of mine and said, “You know what? I’m a writer. I’m really a writer!” He smiled and said, “Of course you’re a writer. You’ve been making your living writing for years now.” I told him, “Yeah, I know I write. What I just realized is that it is what I am.” I suddenly shifted from the attitude that writing was something I did to the realization that a writer was who I was. It was a life-changing moment.
WOW: I’ve heard that same sort of story from artist and musician friends as well. Giving ourselves those titles seems to really change our outlook. You’re definitely an author now Julia; congratulations!
Cheryl’s relationship with her mother was interesting, is that any indication of how you and your mother interact? What role has your mother played in publishing your first book? Julia: Actually, my relationship with my mother is so far from the one Cheryl has with her mother that they cannot even be compared adequately. My mother has always been a gentle presence in my life. I call her every Monday, and we sometimes talk for hours. Even when I was a teenager, I counted on my mom to help me put things into perspective. Cheryl’s relationship with her mom was really based on the relationship of a close family friend and her son. The mother saw the son as an extremely talented person, perhaps even a genius. The son is definitely bright, but he rebelled against his mother’s demands. He is living a peaceful life now, working in a restaurant and hoping to buy a boat so he can live on the water. He is a good friend. It is a shame that he didn’t accomplish more in the eyes of his mother, but he is very happy. And isn’t that the greatest accomplishment of all?
WOW: The happiness factor is definitely important and sometimes living up to our own expectations is more important than living up to the expectations of others. I glad your friend is happy and I hope is mother is happy as well in her own way.Any sneak peeks for us about what is in your future? Is there a sequel to Loving the Missing Link? Another project?Julia: I am so excited about my next project! I just resolved a structural problem that had me stumped for over a month. Now, the writing is flowing smoothly. The story is about these 5 people who are admitted into a psychiatric hospital. It is about how they interact with each other and how they respond to the help that is offered. Perhaps a more positive spin on “Cuckoo’s Nest.” I think it is an ambitious project; I hope to have the new book ready for edits in a few months.
WOW: I can’t imagine keeping it all straight and I can’t wait to read about the story—adding 5 different perspectives definitely is ambitious!
Anything you’d like to add that readers should know about you or Loving the Missing Link?Julia: The main thing I hope readers will get from the story is a new perspective on what success is, and to understand the difference between hope and fantasy a little bit better. And I hope to inspire people to live the best lives they are capable of living.
----------Blog Tour DatesMonday, September 9 (today!) @ The MuffinStop by for an interview and book giveaway!
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/Wednesday September 11 @ CMash ReadsGet in on the giveaway for Loving the Missing Link and hear from Julia Asel Thomas with her guest post "Life Long Learning and Self-Education"
http://cmashlovestoread.com/Thursday, September 12 @ My Fiction NookGiveaway and guest post by Julia Asel Thomas today! She shares her debut work with Loving The Missing Link and speaks candidly offering insight in her guest post “Establishing a Writing Routine”.
http://www.myfictionnook.com/Friday, September 13 @ Steph the BookwormDon't miss your chance to win a copy of
Loving the Missing Link and hear what Stephanie has to say after reading this first published work by Julia Asel Thomas.
http://www.stephthebookworm.com/Monday, September 16 @ All Things AudryGet in on the giveaway of Loving the Missing Link and enjoy a guest post by author, Julia Asel Thomas with the fun topic of “Life Experiences in Fiction”
http://allthingsaudry.blogspot.com/Wednesday, September 18 @ Selling BooksDon't miss today's author interview with Julia Asel Thomas and find out more about her debut book
Loving the Missing Link!
http://www.sellingbooks.com/Tuesday, September 17 @ Create Write NowJulia Asel Thomas writes about "Therapeutic Journaling" in her blog stop at Create Write Now - also happening at this stop is a giveaway of Julia's first published works
Loving the Missing Link. Don't miss this stop!
http://www.createwritenow.com/Thursday, September 19 @ Thoughts in ProgressToday is your day to hear what Julia Asel Thomas has to say in her guest post about "Journal Writing to Enhance Your Fiction" and an added bonus - get in on the giveaway of Julia's new book Loving the Missing Link (#LMLThomas)!
http://masoncanyon.blogspot.com/Friday, September 20 @ The Book BagThe Spotlight at the Book Bag is none other than Julia Asel Thomas and her New Adult Novel,
Loving the Missing Link (#LMLThomas); check out this great blog stop and get in on the givewaway!
http://susan-thebookbag.blogspot.com/Monday, September 23@ Bring on LemonsGiveaway and guest blog stop for Julia Asel Thomas, author of
Loving the Missing Link - Julia visits the lemons to lemonade blog and shares her wish for music education titled: "Channeling the Spirit of Professor Harold Hill". Don't miss this stop and giveaway opportunity!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/Tuesday, September 24 @ Words from the HeartJoin author, Julia Asel Thomas as she discusses "The Pros and Cons of Teen Marriage" and offers a giveaway and some insight into Loving the Missing Link. Find out more about Julia and her first published book!
http://contemplativeed.blogspot.comWednesday, September 25 @ Words by WebbHear from Jodi Webb as she reviews Loving the Missing Link by Julia Asel Thomas - don't miss this great giveaway and insight!
http://jodiwebb.com/Thursday, September 26 @ I’d So Rather Be ReadingJoin Julia Asel Thomas, Author of Loving the Missing Link as she blogs about "Choosing Your Words Carefully: a guide to finding the best verbs for your purpose" and don't miss this giveaway of her newly published work!
http://www.idsoratherbereading.com/Tuesday, October 1 @ Mom-E-CentricJulia Asel Thomas, Author of Loving the Missing Link offers a giveaway opportunity and shares her insight on “Finding Realistic Hope” this is something we can all benefit from; don’t miss this tour stop!
http://momecentric.com/To view all our touring authors, check out our
Events Calendar. Keep up with blog stops and giveaways in real time by following us on Twitter
@WOWBlogTour.
Get Involved! If you have a website or blog and would like to host one of our touring authors or schedule a tour of your own, please email us at
[email protected].
Book Giveaway Contest: Enter to win a copy of
Loving the Missing Link Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. We will announce the winner in the Rafflecopter widget THIS Friday, September 13th.
a Rafflecopter giveawayGood luck!
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| Just one of my multiple calendars |
Last week,
I shared my dilemma with my summer to-do list and the fact that barely anything got X'd off the list.
I was discussing my concerns with a fellow teacher. She asked if I suffered from chronic disorganization. Naturally, I was taken aback. I prefer to call it organized chaos.
All kidding aside, I began
researching the term and discovered it involves clutter and time management issues. Now, clutter
can be a problem because we live in a small house, but time management
should not be an issue because I schedule my day and know what needs to be accomplished. The part that worries me when I read this explanation is that chronic disorganization can result from ADD/ADHD, dementia, or another health condition. My maternal grandfather started suffering from dementia shortly before he passed away, so that's a MAJOR concern for me. As I've aged, I've wondered if I have adult onset ADD. We'll save that conversation for another day!
Back to the "I schedule my day" line. That's when I started thinking about calendars. Using multiple (or no) calendars signals possible chronic disorganization.
Yikes!
I have a week-at-a-glance calendar that is broken down by days and then by hours. Next to the hours, I list school, interviews, and grandson duty. On the other side, I make a list of what writing responsibilities I have to get done that day. At the bottom of each day, I track the articles I submit.
Hanging next to my desk, a calendar from the Nebraska High School Rodeo Association is posted. Nope! You won't catch this girl barrel racing or goat ropin'. :) I use this calendar for billing purposes to track which papers run my weekly newspaper column.
When I swipe my smart phone to life, my synced Google calendar is displayed. It includes events from several area Chambers of Commerce, school events, University of Nebraska activities, and all my WOW! responsibilities. I can also access the calendar when I'm on my computer or tablet.
And finally, a monthly grid-style calendar hangs on our refrigerator so my husband can figure out what writing assignment I am working on which explains why I'm bringing home a pie from the local pizzeria for the third night in a week. Plus, he has a not-so-smart phone, so I can't share my Google calendar with him.
That's four calendars. Do I really need that many?
No.
So, my first step in getting organized and handling my to-do list is reducing the number of calendars I use. Since my smart phone is always with me, I'm adding everything writing related to my online calendar and tracking my newspaper column printings, too.
It may seem like a baby step, but so far, so good.
How many calendars do you use?LuAnn Schindler is an award-winning Nebraska-based freelance writer. She's a member of the Nebraska Writer's Guild.
To answer some of the questions from my last Muffin post, I'm going to detail the roundabout way I developed a nonfiction book proposal.
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One of the many Idiot's Guide books available on the
marketplace. Photo credit | PGHumphrey |
The seeds of my Idiot's Guide book that will be coming out in January 2014 were sown in 2008. Not only is that the year that I started eating gluten free, it was also the year I attended a writers' conference in Florida. It was a small group of writers with a good mix of agents and editors. (It has been held sporadically since then and 2008 was the only time I've gone.)
Because the conference was such an intimate gathering, I managed to speak with several editors and agents. I continued to follow up with several of the folks. One of the agents I was in contact with would intermittently float tantalizing subjects for which I would write a proposal.
The
Idiot's Guide proposals are not for the faint of heart. At one time, I was working on a television project and developing an Idiot's Guide based on the concept. I researched my heart out, but did not get the book gig. (The TV gig took me to Texas, but not into viewers' homes.) I tried another time, but lucked out. The subject of that book has been banished from my memory.
Try and try again...
Along the way, a friend submitted and wrote her own Idiot's Guide. This year, when I found out the publishers were looking for a gluten-free author, I figured I'd try again and I called my friend for advice. She asked me some smart marketing questions that really helped frame my approach.
I'm passionate about the subject of gluten-free eating, but I don't blog it and I've yet to pitch a magazine story around it. Another catch: the book calls for recipes. In all my bag of tricks, I have not yet learned to develop recipes. The agent paired me with an experienced Idiot's Guide writer who develops recipes.
Try, try, and try again...
I wrote a chapter, based on the agent's request and the Idiot's Guide
information, built out a table of contents, and the rest of the proposal. My collaborator helped me find the tone for writing it and fleshed out a list of recipes. For a while it did not look like we would get the contract. When we did, I continued to pinch myself and tried to think what I'd done differently this time. I'm still trying to figure
that out.
To answer some of the questions of readers from
my last post:
- I'm still in the author's review process and the editors have been approachable and easy to work with all along.
- There is manuscript formatting throughout the writing that becomes second nature after the second chapter.
- It has been a fantastic project and I'm really excited to see it in print, especially because it is a subject dear to my heart.
Penguin and the Idiot's Guide folks have put a lot of information on the Internet (some of which I linked to above). Take a look and jump in!
I'll keep answering questions, so keep asking them! For next time, research.
Elizabeth King Humphrey is a writer and editor living in southeastern North Carolina. Besides working with words, she enjoys coaching writers and designing books. Recipe development to come!
A business card is a funny little thing. People throw them in fishbowls for free sandwiches, they exchange them at events, they buy special, shiny cases to hold them, and they find them in side pockets and overlooked nooks and crannies after being tucked away and long forgotten. Business cards are disposable by nature. You give them out and hope for the best. You order them in large batches and use them to consolidate your information in a convenient little package. Just a slip of rectangular paper with your personal data to be collected, consolidated, and consumed.
I have been thinking a lot about business cards lately. They may seem insignificant in our daily dealings, but I believe every one of them holds so much more than a phone number and an email address. For each one, someone had to go through the trouble of painstakingly designing that tiny rectangle of data, of purchasing a box of them, of picking up a little pile of them and putting them in their pocket or purse or specially bought container. Every card holds someone’s unique identity, a piece of their personal story.
The plain white, unglazed surface and gray lettering under a simple company logo might, on closer inspection, convey the excitement of a person’s first, grown-up job. A hyper-designed, riotously colored card can carry the hopes and fears of a new business owner. The years of hard work and drive to win a high-level position can be portrayed in a simple bladed graphic and bold black lettering.
All business cards had their start in someone’s new beginning. I realized my own new beginning the day I received my little box of new business cards in the mail. They have my name in pretty looped letters, my favorite colors in the butterfly logo, and, of course, my consolidated data. I’ll send them out into the world, one at a time, hoping for the best.
But whether people keep them or throw them away, the important part is that they represent my declaration to the world that I am, as Julie Luek says, taking the leap. Because under my name on these funny little cards they say Freelance Writer, Novelist, Blogger – I marvel that so few words can mean so much to me.
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Danyelle C. Overbo is a multifaceted writer and story teller. She holds a Bachelor's degree in creative writing from the University of Nevada Reno where she was published in the University's prestigious literary arts journal, the Brushfire. She is currently working as a freelance writer specializing in business and marketing communications. You can view samples of her work on her website where she blogs about her travels and writing adventures at: http://danyellecoverbo.com/
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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Whether they write fiction or nonfiction, most writers I know do research. Almost as many believe that if they find a fact three times they can trust that it’s true.
Unfortunately, that’s nothing but myth. You can find a piece of misinformation just as many times as you can find an accurate fact. The reasons for this vary.
Once something is published and in circulation, other people can cite it. That’s fine if it is accurate, but if it isn’t, you now have the same inaccurate information published in multiple places. It can also happen if the information is being published to push a certain agenda. The end result is sometimes more important than the accuracy of the information.
The reality is that finding something multiple times doesn’t make it true. It just means that it is well-circulated. Here are three tips to help you separate accurate fact from well-published nonsense:
- Group the facts. After you’ve done some reading on your topic, you are going to see certain bits of information repeated again and again. You will also begin to notice schools of thought – Group X has gathered facts that prove global warming while Group Y has just as many facts that debunk it. As you read material from each school of thought, consider how their biases will shape which “facts” they choose to present and which they ignore completely.
- Go to the top. Some schools of thought are easy to dismiss. Now that we’ve seen the Earth from space, we can dismiss Flat Earth supporters. But what about your topic? It may not be as obvious. Look for an expert who isn’t a strong supporter of either school of thought or at the very least questions both. Reading what this person has written may be enough to help you separate fact from fiction. If not, ask for an interview.
- Read and research even more. Have you reached the point in your research that everything you read duplicates something you’ve already read? If the answer is no, keep reading. Once you’ve read to this point, you’ll be surprised how obvious these bits of misinformation are and you’ll wonder why you didn’t spot them sooner.
No matter what you write, you need to know how to separate fact and fiction as you research.
--SueBE
I have a
great writers’ critique group!
Unfortunately, we have fallen into some not-so-great habits.
Our meetings have gone from not-to-be-missed—to missed more often than attended. It’s totally understandable; we lead busy lives. We have kids and jobs and mountains of responsibilities. Life throws its share of curveballs, and sometimes, you just have to drop everything and catch ‘em as best you can.
But when we first started our critique group, we made our meetings a priority. Even if we were juggling those balls and unable to physically meet, we sent our work online. And that accountability—knowing our critique partners were expecting our work—made us work a little bit harder.
Our critiques have gone from detailed notes—to a few lines of simple fixes. And I understand how this sort of critique can creep its way into the group. After all, we know each other well; our partners get what we mean. Why bother to write everything out?
But during the first year of critiquing, our writing seemed to grow exponentially with our detailed and thoughtful notes. So now, we’ve quit overusing adverbs. Our tenses rarely change. We understand “head-hopping” and third person limited. Basically, we’ve moved beyond writing craft mistakes. But for our writing to get to the next level, we need to tackle deeper problems. And that means our critiques need to move to the next level, too.
Our discussions have gone from two hours of writing—to an hour or more of personal rambles. And of course, I understand how that happens. We’ve grown close over the years; we care about each other outside our writing lives. Often, the only time we catch up is during our critique group meetings.
But when we were new to each other, the focus of the group was writing. We met for two hours, spending the majority of our time on critiques. Now, we rush to get the writing business completed. And so the critiques feel rushed and disjointed, with no time for members to clear up questions. Our focus has morphed into frustration.
Fortunately, August was designated as a special meeting. We discussed making changes; we hashed out new guidelines. We decided that we would meet on the assigned critique day, no matter how many of us could attend (and those who couldn’t attend would send an online critique). We created a critique template (I’ll try to get to critique templates in the next post!). And finally, we’re alternating writers/critiques per session so that we’re each allotted a generous amount of discussion.
I’m like a kid starting a new school year! I’m ready to bust those bad habits, and I’m looking forward to what we’ll accomplish. And I’d like to hear from
you about
your critique group. What works for you? Or do you have other suggestions to solve our problems?
Because, honestly, I have a great critique group. And if at first, we don’t succeed, I’m willing to try, try again!
~
Cathy C. Hall
Donna L. Turello is the quintessential Walter Mitty type: she lives vicariously through her characters. None of whom are her. She pinky-swears.
Okay, maybe a little.
Having earned an M.A. in English Lit with a concentration in Medieval/Renaissance Lit, you’d think she would write Medieval fantasies, but she’s actually more into contemporary women’s fiction and MG/YA novels.
Nevertheless, she enjoys veering off-road into the short fiction forms, creative nonfiction, even the occasional attempt at a picture book. Recently she’s begun dipping a toe into the screenwriting sea. It’s all about the story. And some stories are flashes of light, while others are a long and very winding road.
Publication credits, such as in
The Verb, The Binnacle, Patchwork Path anthologies, Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Resolution, and now
WOW!, provide the encouragement to keep going, as well as honorable mentions in contests such as
Soulmaking Literary, The Binnacle, Writer’s Digest, and yes,
WOW! But she’s ready to shed the bubblegum pink bridesmaid dress and grab a bridal bouquet!
A member of RWA until it finally dawned on her that despite the romantic elements, she’s not writing romances; she’s now a member of SCBWI. Her stories are all about the journey. And what a journey it’s been.
Currently making the contest rounds is a novel which recently garnered an honorable mention in the 2013
Abilene Writer’s Guild annual contest. It’s her love letter to her dad: a YA about a girl, her dad, a boy, and a baking competition.
Thrilled and honored, she would like to thank the
WOW! judges for this shot of confidence, and hopes that someday soon, when her mother tells her to “Just get a real job, already” she’ll be able to reply, “Mom, writing is my real job.”
Visit her at
www.donnaturello.com.
interview by Marcia PetersonWOW: Congratulations on your first place win in our Spring 2013 Flash Fiction competition! What inspired you to enter the contest?Donna: I've been submitting to the WOW! contests for years, and actually cracked the Honorable Mentions a few years ago, with an essay. So naturally, throw a dog a bone, and they keep coming back!
But I love how WOW! supports and encourages all writers, win or lose. It's that welcoming atmosphere that keeps me entering.
WOW: Thanks for the kind words about WOW! Women on Writing. Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, Ivy? Donna: Ivy was inspired, literally, from the ivy growing in my backyard. The more I prune, the more it grows, tenaciously climbing that fence toward the sky. I've also experienced a bit of discrimination over my adopted sister; plus, on the tough days, my mom insists things will change for the better. I'm also at a place in my life where everything around me is changing, and while I tend to resist change, I'm learning to embrace it. I believe I'm going to come out the other end a stronger and better person for it. So for me, there's no one thread; every story is a melting pot of elements.
WOW: How did you craft your winning flash fiction story? Did you have to edit much to get to the final version?Donna: I wrote the first draft a couple of years ago for another flash contest. It didn't win, but just wouldn't let me go, so I rewrote on and off, trying it longer, adding details, but it still didn't feel "right." I pared it down for another contest last year, where it took second place, but wasn't published, thank goodness, because I still didn't feel it completely "click." So I went back again, and many drafts later--adding more details, and pruning again--I just felt like maybe I'd finally said what I'd wanted to say.
I'm always amazed at how time has a way of giving me insights into a project that I didn't have when I first drafted it. Maybe it's just that certain things have to happen in your life first for you to really understand--or feel--the story through your characters' eyes, or maybe it's just that with each draft comes a new layer of depth to the backstory--whether you include those details or leave them out.
WOW: That's great that you didn't give up on the story, and with time and effort you crafted something beautiful. On your website you mention a love of baking. What is your favorite thing to bake? What's your next kitchen project going to be?Donna: I don't actually bake as much as I'd like anymore since nobody seems to be eating sweets these days in my family, but my favorite things to bake are cheesecake, and anything involving chocolate.
One of the novels (YA) I'm tweaking now is about a baking family and I'm kind of living vicariously through the protagonist, and it's making me revisit an old dream of commandeering the kitchen--to my mother's horror--and experimenting again. Maybe create a few recipes to accompany the novel. I've always wanted to attempt a small cookbook. It's also on my bucket list to try out for the Pillsbury Bake-Off!
WOW: If you need any recipe tasters, just let us know! Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Donna. Before you go, can you share your favorite writing tip or advice with our readers?Donna: "
Longest way round is the shortest way home."--James Joyce. Which is to say there are no shortcuts. It's only in the rewriting that I find the story. With every draft, I learn more about the characters. Even if I don't leave all the backstory in, it helps me understand the why beneath the surface. Why each character thinks/feels/acts the way they do. So my advice is, simply, write one more draft. That the story is always one more draft away. I have literally marked projects with "I can't do any more with this," put them aside, then months later--the story still dogging me--picked it up again, and the whole thing became clear. Time is a great editor.
On a practical note, the best advice I ever received (from Chris, I believe, in a critique group I belonged to years ago, when I wasn't ready to receive the feedback) is this:
rekey. Don't just read through the piece and make revisions. Retype the whole story. Yes, I know that sucks. Especially if you're not the world's greatest/fastest typist. And I'm certainly not. Although I've gotten better over the years just through sheer volume. Which I think also applies to writing. The more you write, the better you get. But retype. Every. Single. Word. You will be shocked at what comes out of your fingers. The subconscious mind is a wondrous thing. And the deepest levels of story spring from there. All the subtext, all the tiny details that add depth. Some of it will be schlock, and then you cut. But retype, again, until you're not adding anything new.
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WOW! Welcomes guest blogger Susan Tive, co-author of the anthology Beyond Belief, The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions
Today, Susan shares her thoughts on Feminism and Religion
Dancing With the TorahWomen of faith and feminists have more in common than they have differences.
While popular wisdom has it that being a feminist and a woman of faith are incompatible my experience as an Orthodox Jew tells a different story. Some of the most ardent feminists I ever met were Orthodox Jewish women in my community. Some considered themselves feminists and some did not, but when I think about what it means to be a feminist these women fit the bill.
Like all good feminists they are committed to affirming the full humanity of women but they do so within the context of their religious belief system. They strive to build a community that treats everyone fairly. They do not view their gender as an obstacle but embrace it and live a full life as a woman and as a believer in their faith.
Today almost every major and minor religion has a growing and active women’s movement within it. From Mormonism to Catholicism to Judaism religious women are seeking to address issues of inequality. They are pointing out how discrimination is not consonant with deeper ideologies, questioning how, why and who made the rules that disenfranchise them. Women are pointing to scripture and other religious teachings to make their case and ask for change. These religious women are not walking away from their faith but are working within its structures in order to make change happen. They are feminists.
In my Orthodox years I ran up against a number of laws that I felt were discriminatory. Women couldn’t sing or dance in public. Women couldn’t participate in certain rituals or prayers. Many of these rules were explained to me as ways to safeguard women against bad male behavior, i.e. the sound of a woman’s voice could arouse a man and distract him from prayer. I was taught that these laws were not devised to oppress women but to elevate them and prevent them from being regarding as sex objects and thus devalued.
Many of Judaism’s laws appear discriminatory by secular standards but understood within the religious context may give women more chance at true equality. By downplaying a woman’s physical appearance she has more opportunity and encouragement to develop herself and self worth in other ways.
These arguments were a hard sell for me. Having been brought up in a very liberal, secular home the idea that a restriction could be a freeing force was an entirely new concept. One restriction that particularly bothered me was a law prohibiting women from dancing with the Torah on a special holiday called Simhat Torah. Once per year, on this special day, the Torah was paraded around as men and boys hugged it tight and danced with it in their arms, shouting, sweating, vying for their special moment with the sacred parchment while we women were shut out. Women didn’t touch the Torah much less dance with it. It wasn’t allowed, it wasn’t done, end of story.
I asked but did not receive an adequate explanation. I was angry. I became determined to find out where this law came from and why. If I had to accept this prohibition, I needed a reason, an argument, something to take the sting out of it. And it had to be a damn good one.
Four of us formed a study group and began learning the laws that prohibited us from touching the Torah. We met every Sunday morning for over four years and educated and empowered ourselves about this issue and many others pertaining to women in Judaism. We learned that the prohibition of touching the Torah was on precarious legal ground and was more a matter of precedent and custom than hard and fast law. The more we studied, the more we came across leniencies and examples of Orthodox communities that allowed women to touch and dance with the Torah. Eventually, we were able to convince others in the community that women should be able to dance with the Torah.
Religions and secular societies do adapt and change. For us -- women of faith AND secular feminists, we can more effectively foster that change together than apart.
Thank you again to Susan- and if you'd like to learn more about the book she wrote with fellow author Cami Ostman, check out the link below and definitely take a moment to enter in for the giveaway which will end THIS Friday at midnight!
Paperback: 328 Pages
Publisher: Seal Press (April 2, 2013)
ISBN-10: 1580054420
ISBN-13: 978-1580054423
Twitter hashtag: #SLWExtreme
Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions is available as a print and e-book at
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, and at your local independent bookstore.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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| Katniss!! by Pop Culture Geek flickr.com |
What makes a great character in a novel? I hope you're not looking here for the magic answer. I wish I had the magic answer. But all I can really do is share with you my experience and my opinion. Then I'm hoping you'll share yours with me, too.
One of my favorite authors is Suzanne Collins--I love both
Hunger Games (as does the rest of the world) and
Gregor the Overlander (her middle-grade series that is a bit less famous). When I think of favorite characters in novels, Katniss and Gregor immediately come to my mind. I wish I could say something more literary or classic came to mind, like Elizabeth Bennett from
Pride and Prejudice. But I'm not going to lie. The best I can do with classic is Huck Finn and Wilbur. (After all, I'm a children's writer.)
So, what makes me love Gregor and Katniss and Huck Finn and Wilbur? Well, first of all, they are brave and flawed. They aren't afraid to stand up for what is right, but they don't always do the right thing (well, Wilbur probably does); and sometimes, they are very selfish. They have adventures that I want to have. They make things happen in their lives. But this is true for so many characters. Why, why do these stand out to me? I'm still trying to figure that one out.
And why don't I like some characters? I'm not fond of Bella from
Twilight. I've read all four books and will never say an unkind word about Stephenie Meyer; but I was never so glad that an author switched point of view in a book, as I was in the fourth book when we finally got inside Jacob's head. I couldn't take one more second of Bella. Why? She has some of the same qualities I listed above. But for me, she came off a bit whiny and neurotic, too.
I also like humor and intelligence--all of those characters I love have both of those traits. I try to model my characters after the ones I like--their characteristics anyway. For example, in the YA novel I just signed a contract for (YAY!), my main character, Julie, is a fairly popular senior girl who is not going to sleep with her boyfriend no matter how hard he tries. She also is a drama queen and worries about her teeth turning yellow and the sometimes sweat she has under her arms when she's nervous. She is a loyal and good friend. When push comes to shove and her family needs her, she faces her fears and gets the job done. Although my book isn't about fighting to death to feed the people in your district, like in the
Hunger Games series, Julie shares some of the same characteristics as Katniss. (Just don't giver her a bow and arrow. . .) As a matter of fact, maybe Jennifer Lawrence will be available to play Julie in the film version of my book,
Caught Between Two Curses. (Yes, you should be laughing out loud right now.)
So, obviously, I don't have the magic answer for what makes a great character in a novel. But what I do know is this--the person (or thing or animal) has to have characteristics we can admire and root for, while also having some flaws to work through. The character has to remind us of ourselves in some way. When you find those characters you love, make a list of their traits. Figure out why you love the character and how the author showed you their traits in the story. Then get to work on your own character. Of course, you never want to copy. But you can study and learn from what you already love.
So, who's your favorite novel character and why? Margo L. Dill is leading Writing a Novel with a Writing Coach (online workshop) which starts the first Friday of each month (next session: September 6), for people who are ready to write a novel or are in the middle of the process and want some help and feedback. For more information about the class, please go to: http://wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/MargoDill_WriteNovelWithWritingCoach.php
If you've read many of my posts on The Muffin, you know that I spend three hours a day teaching Journalism, Speech and Drama.
So, when the last school bell rings in May, I create my summer to-do list and break it into multiple categories, like home improvements, school projects (you see, school NEVER ends for a teacher), and writing projects.
This summer, my writing project list included 11 projects ranging from setting up a new schedule for my blog, querying new markets, completing some photo projects, devoting a specific number of hours to working on the novel, and developing story ideas for the regional publications I write for.
How many projects were crossed off the list?
Can I plead the 5th? Do I have to answer the questions?
Two.
Yes, the deuce. Dos. One + one equals two.
The weird thing is, I feel like I got a lot of writing accomplished this summer. I know my bank account appreciated my efforts!
But two? Seriously?
I'm frustrated that I didn't get more done. I've always thought I'm a good organizer and a fast writer.
Only two?
It got me thinking about
WHY I didn't get a lot done. Interference from Facebook, Twitter and Words with Friends? Caring for the grandsons while their mom is at work? Wanting a bit of ME time? Too much "Orange is the New Black" or "The Newsroom"?
Sure, some of those factor in, but they aren't the real culprit.
So the day before I returned to school, I sent a
HARO query and received a lot of great advice. During September, on my blog dates, I'm going to talk about tackling the to-do list and keeping it manageable. I'll be sharing information from organization experts, a psychologist, and medical experts.
You may be surprised at some of the answers. I was!
Until my next blog post, I'm curious. How do you handle your to-do list? Do you break down each task step-by-step? Do you have an established writing routine that lets you meet your goals?
Share your thoughts with us.
by LuAnn Schindler. Read more of LuAnn's work at her
website.
I never thought that the very thing I love to do—write—would end up becoming an obstacle to the very thing I love to do. The blessing of being able to work from home…actually making good money writing…having the flexibility to work my life around writing and not the other way around. It was like a dream come true.
Yet it wasn’t really a dream come true. Because suddenly writing became a job. It was no longer a passion. And since I enjoyed the financial benefits, I would take on more than I probably should have. So then I was stressed trying to meet tight deadlines.
Suddenly working from home was a challenge because there was still dinner to cook, laundry to tackle, dust to remove. I couldn’t escape the reality of my personal life because it was intertwined with my work life.
And flexibility to work my life around writing? Somehow everything got turned around and pretty soon I was trying to fit life in around my work. Just ask my husband who wondered what happened to the days when he was off work and we could spend time together. Or my children who always felt like a bother whenever they had to ask me something.
After three years of writing for a living, I found myself wondering “What am I going to do?” when the email arrived in my inbox. That so-called “dream,” the one I knew deep down inside couldn’t possibly last forever…was no longer going to be. All that stood out to me was this: workload reduced.
Actually, the truth is my thoughts were more about the money. What I had been making for a living, would be cut in half (or even more). An offer was made to write a letter of recommendation. Well that’s all well and good but meanwhile…what am I going to do? How am I going to adjust to this decrease in pay?
Then this thought started niggling me in the back of my mind. Maybe this was my chance…to break out of the work of writing and bring back the passion. To write about things that I actually care about. But it was as if an inner war began to take place—sure that sounds great. But what about the money?
Here’s what I’ve discovered…writing just to make money saps the creativity and passion. It takes away from the real writer that is within. It’s not that there is anything wrong with making money from writing. But when it stops up the creative juices…when it hinders you from writing about things that inspire you…it’s become nothing more than a job.
I would guess that there are other writers out there who have experienced the same thing. For me, this is my chance to dust off the ideas that have been sitting in the closet of my mind for some time now. It’s time to get back to the thing I love to do…it’s time to WRITE!
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Stephanie Romero is an independent contractor for We Do Web Content and the creator/instructor of "Recovery from Abuse," an online course that is currently being used in a correctional institution's character-based program. But her true passions are writing about motherhood at Treasuring MOMents and getting real at Faith Messages.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Are you a fan of Iron Chef? Do you find yourself DVR-ing Cupcake Wars? If you are a foodie and love young adult books, too, then you are really in for a treat with the interview and giveaway we have today. We have debut author Kelly Fiore and her young adult book, Taste Test. Grab your favorite snack, read this interview, and then enter to win your copy below! She shares a bit about her book, balancing work and family, being a locavore and proponent of the Feingold Diet, and writing through post-partum depression.
WOW: Welcome, Kelly! Congratulations on your debut of Taste Test, a young adult contemporary novel. Tell us a bit about the plot. It sounds fun!
Kelly: Thanks so much for having me! Taste Test is about a high school senior named Nora who grew up in her widowed father’s North Carolina barbecue joint. When her favorite show, TASTE TEST, is casting for new teen cooking competitors, Nora applies and is accepted. Once there, though, she realizes that her humble upbringing didn’t prepare her for the cut-throat world of culinary reality TV. She’s got a snotty roommate and a love/hate relationship with the competition hottie, Christian Van Lorton. Not that Nora can concentrate on her personal life – when accidents in the kitchen start looking more like sabotage, Nora realizes she needs to focus on staying in the competition and try to avoid being “chopped” for good.
WOW: I love this--I'm a reality TV fan! Where did you get the idea to do a reality show about teens cooking?
Kelly: I was a high school teacher for about ten years; and throughout that time, there was a program called “Commercial Foods.” It was run by a former chef, and the kids absolutely loved it. It was always one of the most popular classes. I sort of took that idea, combined with the simple fact that there really SHOULD be a reality cooking competition for teens, and compiled Taste Test.
WOW: What kind of research did you have to do for this? Did you get to go to a reality show?
If I tell you I watched a lot of TV, does that count as research? (smiles) In all seriousness, I think much of my former life was research – I worked in restaurants for about seven years in my teens and early twenties. Now, I watch a ton of food-related television, and I’m lucky to have several
Top-Chef alumnus restaurants in my area (Bryan Voltaggio’s Volt, Spike Mendelsohn’s Good Stuff Eatery, Mike Isabella’s Graffiato, etc.). So sure, I did watch a lot of TV – but I also tried to spend time in the restaurant arena and absorb the atmosphere. For example, Volt has a Table 21 menu (21 – yes 21! – dishes are served), and it takes place in a kitchen-side dining area. So you get to see the chefs working while your food is prepared. That was an invaluable experience for my writing.
WOW: Food is a big theme for you--on your blog and in your life! I read this on your website, and I KNOW we have some readers on here who will be REALLY interested in this: "I spend all of my free time that isn’t spent writing cooking, baking, and canning. We are locavores and extremely supportive members of a local farm CSA. We also follow and support the Feingold Diet, a food program for kids sensitive to artificial additives and natural salycilates." Can you explain a little how you balance everything?Kelly: Um. Carefully? (smiles) Being “locavores” is actually really easy for someone living in suburban Maryland. We’re surrounded by farms and the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) movement is huge here, especially in bigger cities. So many farms already have deliveries into Baltimore and DC, but offer a discount if you pick your share up at the farm. I find it inordinately important that my son spends time on a farm to see where food comes from, so we go most Saturday mornings to get our eggs, veggies, and pork/chicken.
I could talk about the Feingold Diet all day, so I’ll try not to make this too long. The FG Diet changed my son’s life. He was having really horrible behavioral problems from age 3-4, and sometimes they seemed physical – almost seizure-like. Doctors weren’t much help. When we discovered the FG Diet, it was sort of a “well, I’ll try this before we try meds” kind of choice. Instead, we found our son – the boy he was always meant to be – by eliminating dairy and artificial colors/flavors/preservatives. We also limit foods high in salycilates (this is the active ingredient in aspirin and does a number on young tummies). The FG Diet is labeled as an ADHD diet, but it’s really not just that – since starting in February 2012, my son hasn’t had seasonal allergies, ear infections, stomach troubles, or any of the symptoms that used to be regular for him. And his behavior is no longer an issue. In fact, he started Kindergarten this past Tuesday and got so many “green lights” for behavior that he got to bring home the “Show and Tell” bag.
Your original question was about balance – I think I got a little side-tracked. In terms of fitting it all in, we make choices as to what is a priority. I’ll be perfectly honest, we spend more money on food than we do on most other bills. But we think our health and our bodies are an important investment and more important than new clothes or vacations and luxuries. Everything’s a trade-off.
WOW: That is so amazing what the right diet did for your son! And I think spending a lot of money on food is actually a good place to spend money. Finally, I read that you started writing during post-partum depression, and then you got your agent. Tell us how writing helped you work through a hard time as a mom, and about your agent journey, which I'm sure was thrilling!Kelly: I’ve always tried to be really transparent about my post-partum depression because I think it a) happens far more often than people realize and b) is often a silent, hidden issue.
My pregnancy and subsequent depression changed everything for me. Now six years out, I can see that it might have been the best thing that ever happened. I’ve never been as happy as I am now. But at the time, I just wanted to feel anticipation and hope and drive. When I thought about the “butterflies” and emotions of teen love and teen angst, I found myself physically manifesting those feelings. And I was able to write them down.
That first book was extremely cathartic and, like you mentioned, nabbed me my first agent. It didn’t sell, which was a little disappointing, but I can see now that writing it brought me to the place I’m at now.
WOW: Thanks for being so open and honest! What's been the best part about Taste Test coming out?Kelly: I think it will be the moment I walk into a Barnes & Noble or an Indie bookstore and see it sitting on the shelf. That, or going into a library and finding it there. That will be extremely gratifying. There’s something about physically having a book in the bookstore that makes you feel really legitimate as a writer.
WOW: Thank you, Kelly. To find a copy of Taste Test, visit Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound.org, or your local bookstore. To connect with Kelly online, you can visit her website at www.kellyfiorewrites.com and follow her on Twitter at: @kellyannfiore*****BOOK GIVEAWAY*****
We also have a signed copy of
Taste Test by Kelly Fiore to give away to one lucky reader! Just enter the Rafflecopter form below to be entered in the drawing.
a Rafflecopter giveawayGood luck!
A few years ago, I was working out my frustrations at the gym, trying to figure out where my writing career was going and brainstorming a few new magazine article ideas. As I was leaving through the front lobby, I noticed a flyer about an upcoming swimming fundraiser. For some reason, even though I’m not a big swimmer, I picked it up and skimmed it on my way out to the parking lot. The flyer mentioned that a local woman named Lizi was competing in a series of races in honor of her upcoming 40th birthday. The flyer had her blog address printed on it so I investigated further once I got home.
There, I discovered Lizi had type 1 diabetes and learned more about her birthday challenge. She was signed up to compete in a variety of races, involving swimming, sprint triathlons, cycling and running, by her 40th birthday, which she called “Forty 4 Forty.” I knew I had to somehow get in touch with this woman, because I thought her story would be perfect for one of the regional magazines I had been trying to break into.
But her blog didn’t have any contact information. I figured she was local but still needed more details for a query. On a whim, I e-mailed a personal trainer I had been working with at the time and asked if she knew who the woman was. I was in luck, she did! She quickly e-mailed me back with the woman’s e-mail address. I e-mailed Lizi, who also turned out to be a nurse, to let her know I was interested in pitching a story about her, and she responded happily and graciously. We chatted on the phone so I could get some pertinent details to include in my pitch, and I let her know I’d be in touch.
Not only did the editor I contacted respond to me quickly, but she also complimented me on my story pitch. In the end, I got to meet an inspirational member of the community by contacting Lizi, and as a bonus, my article ended up as the cover story of the magazine a few months later. Lizi called me and laughed about the fact that she had become a local celebrity and all the nurses at her doctor's office were telling her that the magazine with her cover shot was sitting in the waiting room.
These days, I work with several local magazines regularly and have tackled some tough human-interest stories, but I still get a thrill watching the story come alive and to fruition. If you come across a story that intrigues you, I say to always go for it!
Renee Roberson is an award-winning freelance writer and editor who blogs at Renee’s Pages.
 |
Stack of research used for my forthcoming book
on gluten-free eating. Photo credit: E. Humphrey |
I'm so glad to be here again. See the pile to the left? That's just one of many piles of research I collected when I set out to write the book I recently finished.
I promise you, this pile is neat and tidy compared to what it was when it was accompanied by a huge stack of books for my research.
Earlier this year I received word that I would be given the great opportunity to write an Idiot's Guide. Once the contract was signed and my outline was turned in, it was time to get writing.
I had to drop out of sight...hiding from family, friends, and even some fun. That was the time I had to eat and breathe the book.
I kept my head down and turned in my draft and am now in the author review stage. The book is scheduled for a January 2014 release.
Each writing project that I've done has differed from the last. But this project touches on so many elements that WOW! Women on Writing delves into daily. I figured for my next few entries I would share some of what I learned along the way about:
- Auditioning for the part of the writer...and believing in yourself
- Deadlines!
- Staying focused and getting the work done
- ...And other tips and tricks for writing
There is so much I want to share, but I don't know where to begin, well, except for: I'm happy to be back writing at The Muffin with its fantastic community of writers and readers.
So, do you have any questions for me about this process? I will do my best to address them in my next post.Elizabeth King Humphrey writes and edits in Wilmington, North Carolina. Now that the kids are back in school she's looking forward to some quiet writing time. (Or longer naps!)
& giveaway contest!Beyond Belief addresses what happens when women of extreme religions decide to walk away. Editors Susan Tive (a former Orthodox Jew) and Cami Ostman (a de-converted fundamentalist born-again Christian) have compiled a collection of powerful personal stories written by women of varying ages, races, and religious backgrounds who share one commonality: they’ve all experienced and rejected extreme religions.
Covering a wide range of religious communities—including Evangelical, Catholic, Jewish, Mormon, Muslim, Calvinist, Moonie, and Jehovah’s Witness—and containing contributions from authors like Julia Scheeres (
Jesus Land), the stories in
Beyond Belief reveal how these women became involved, what their lives were like, and why they came to the decision to eventually abandon their faiths. The authors shed a bright light on the rigid expectations and misogyny so often built into religious orthodoxy, yet they also explain the lure—why so many women are attracted to these lifestyles, what they find that’s beautiful about living a religious life, and why leaving can be not only very difficult but also bittersweet.
Paperback: 328 Pages
Publisher: Seal Press (April 2, 2013)
ISBN-10: 1580054420
ISBN-13: 978-1580054423
Twitter hashtag: #SLWExtreme
Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions is available as a print and e-book at
Amazon,
Barnes & Noble,
IndieBound, and at your local independent bookstore.
Book Giveaway Contest: To win a copy of
Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions, please enter using the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post. The giveaway contest closes next Friday, August 30th at 12:00 AM EST. We will announce the winner the same day in the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!
About the Authors:Cami Ostman is an author, editor, life coach and a licensed marriage and family therapist with publications in her field. She blogs at
www.7marathons7continents.com and on the
psychologytoday.com blogger team. She has appeared in several publications, including
O, The Oprah Magazine,
Fitness Magazine,
Adventures Northwest, the
Mudgee Guardian in Australia, and
La Prensa in Chile. Her first book,
Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents, was published by Seal Press. Cami is a runner and a dog lover who lives in Bellingham, Washington.
As a writer, editor and researcher Susan has worked on a variety of academic articles exploring psychology, feminism and religion. Susan’s interest in these subjects led her to become an editor for several non-fiction titles including
Faith and Feminism and
Rachel’s Bag. Susan works as a grant writer and developmental consultant. She lives in Bellingham, Washington, with her husband, Michael.
Find out more about these ladies by visiting them online:
Beyond Belief Blog:
http://beyondbeliefanthology.comFacebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beyond-Belief-The-Secret-Lives-of-Women-in-Extreme-Religions/341371765891595Cami's Twitter:
http://twitter.com/camiostman-----Interview by Crystal J. Otto WOW: Cami, will you tell us a bit about yourself and your background? Have you always wanted to be a writer? One of your primary interests is memoir writing; what advice can you give others who would like to see their story published?Cami: Thanks Crystal. Yes, I've wanted to be a writer since I was about nine years old. I wrote my first poem the first time I saw the Pacific Ocean. The sound of the waves and the vastness of the Pacific overwhelmed me; I felt I had to do something to express my feelings, so I wrote a couple of verses with an abab rhyme scheme. Over the next two and a half decades I rarely published, although I kept writing privately. When I discovered that I loved to read memoirs, I knew that would be the first genre I would want to publish in. In 2010, my dream came true when Brooke Warner at Seal Press loved my book idea [
Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents] and offered me a contract.
For other memoir writers who would love to see their words in print, my first piece of advice would be to develop relationship with a community of writers. Start blogging (if you're not doing it already). Develop a sense of what people want to read and connect with your audience. Relationships with other writers and with my reading audience has been one of the most enriching aspects of publishing.
WOW: Just from working with you, I can tell how important relationships are; it has truly been a pleasure. Cami, When did you first consider yourself a writer?Cami: Well, although, I've been writing creatively since I was very young, I've only recently begun to own my identity as a writer. Even after I published my first book, I continued to tell people that I was a "teacher" or a "therapist"�my two other professions. I think it has been the opportunity to support other writers in telling their stories (through editing and writing coaching) that has made me aware of how important it is to say, "I'm a writer." Now when people ask me what I do, "writer" is the first definition I give myself.
WOW: I love how you said “own my identity”—I think that’s something lots of writers struggle with.Now here’s a question for you Susan! Both feminism and religion can be a touchy subjects; were you at all fearful about this or were there other challenges to overcome in taking Beyond Belief to print?Susan: The idea for
Beyond Belief came to me over six years ago when I was in a memoir writing class. Previously, I had worked on other books that explore the topics of women and religion, and the commonalities between feminists and women of faith so I was truly thrilled to take on the
Beyond Belief anthology. In the memoir class, I met Cami and another writer who had also joined, lived in and left a traditional religious practice. Through our writings and discussions I realized how much we had in common. It was healing and powerful for me to share my story and I wanted to expand the conversation and invite more women to tell theirs. I was never fearful, but actually very excited,
Beyond Belief felt like the right next book project for me to take on.
Because
Beyond Belief is not a pro- or anti-religious book but strives to give voice to women’s stories it is accessible to everyone regardless of their own personal belief. In editing it we tried very hard to focus on good stories, important questions and an open ended tone which would invite readers from many different viewpoints to engage in the conversation.
WOW: That’s a great way to look at it Susan, it’s not really pro or anti religious. I had some people ask me that very question when I began talking about your tour—thanks for that clarification! Here’s a question for both of you: What is your favorite book? What is it about that book that you love so much?Susan: Right now I am in love with
Middlemarch by George Eliot. First of all, I am envious that she was able to write an 800-page book and find a publisher! But seriously, her writing is so exemplary of a strong feminine voice and perspective, her insight into human nature so shrewd and accurate. Her observations about society and relationships feel as relevant today as they were in her own time. I love novels that create their own world in all its particular detail while at the same time laying bare timeless universal truths that feel fresh and as if they came out of my own experience.
Cami: Choosing one book as a favorite feels impossible, but let me give it a try. If I were stranded on a desert island with only one book to read over and over again I think I would have to choose
The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. That book has so many nuances that I could read it over and over and never mine to the bottom. If you let me have a second book on the island, I would choose
Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. As a psychotherapist and as a woman, I've learned from that book how to see the world in terms of metaphor. Having come from a pretty literal way of thinking in terms of my religion, donning the lenses of metaphor was a glorious revelation to me.
WOW: It certainly is hard to pick just one book, and don’t worry when I ask you again next time you can give a different answer (I usually do).
Cami, one of the topics you offered for your guest posts during the WOW! Tour included Women’s Empowerment. When did you become interested in this and can you tell us more about how you personally became empowered and why you’re so interested in helping others?Cami: Absolutely! I was a late bloomer in growing into a healthy sense of empowerment. It was easy for me (and I know it's easy for many other women) to make pleasing others the primary goal in life. For years I grappled with how I could be strong and stand up for myself while still nurturing my relationships with others. I went to graduate school to become a therapist partly because I was looking for answers to my own questions about how to authentically honor myself and become a strong woman. I'm not saying I've figured everything out at this point, but I have now learned how to be true to my values even when challenged. I want every woman to have that freedom and strength.
WOW: Strong and nurturing at the same time, that’s quite a goal and now that you mention it, that’s exactly what I want for my daughter.
Susan, do you feel there is a difference between religion and spirituality? Can you give readers your take on this topic and explain a little bit more for us?Susan: Yes, I do differentiate between religion and spirituality. I believe we are all spiritual beings. As humans we have a spiritual nature that we are born with, it is part of why we wonder, ask questions, seek meaning and connection in our lives. Religion is the codification or organization of this natural urge into a practice and set of rules and rituals. Religion is created by men to harness or direct this natural human impulse and to make it standardized and widespread. There is much about religion that is good and does help people to live better lives and treat one another with care. It is when the rules of a religious practice become an end in themselves and are no longer working with but against the spiritual nature of man that they can become extreme.
WOW: Susan, that was a relatively short answer but very deep. Thank you for sharing that differentiation with us.
The last two questions are for both of you. Any sneak peeks for us about what is in your future?Susan: I’m working on my memoir about my ten plus years living in Orthodox Judaism. Writing a memoir is a challenging process and especially when it involves questions of religion and spirituality. I want to write this memoir because I want to understand why I made the choices I did. What was I looking for, what was missing outside of a religious life? I also want to confront some of the sadness I feel about having to leave, and what I miss and why. Many people are quick to assume that an extreme religion is discriminatory especially for women. In my story however, I gain great strength and power from my religious community and practice. I think it is important to highlight both the pros and cons of extreme religion and what it is really like for women on the inside.
Cami: I'm working on a book project I'm calling
Chasing the Goddess. I'm in the process of visiting several sacred sites around the world where feminine deities are or have been revered. My hope is to find a way to really activate the goddess archetype—the sense of a strong, sacred, feminine energy that might offer an alternative to the "power over" energy of masculine-oriented spirituality—in myself and in the world. I believe that that which is personal is also political (and vice versa, of course) and hope that what I learn will trickle out from me into the way I operate in the world. I grew up steeped in the idea that I was made in the image of a masculine god; I now want to explore what would happen to my worldview if my baseline myths were feminine in their focus.
WOW: I’m so happy for both of you. For those of you that don’t know, Cami has also just returned from Japan and you can find out more about that trip and her future plans by visiting her blog: www.7marathons7continents.com
Anything you’d like to add as far as future plans for your writing or your family?Susan: I have been writing ever since I was a young girl. When I was ten I told my mother I wanted to be a writer and she said, “writers write.” So I wrote in a journal or diary almost every day and would not let myself go to sleep unless I filled up at least a page in my diary. While I have long ago accepted the fact that writing is a solitary task I have more recently begun to appreciate the communal aspect of writing, and the collaborative effort it takes to publish and to keep motivated. I encourage anyone who wants to write to seek out others of like mind, join a writing group, read at an open mike, take a class and put yourself out there.
Cami: My first book was a memoir of how I ran the marathon distance on every continent (
Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents). Running continues to be a huge commitment in my life. This year I'm training to shave an hour off of my average marathon finishing time (bringing me down to 4.5 hours if I pull it off). Following that, my husband Bill and I are hoping to complete a marathon in every U.S. state (ten down, forty to go). If you're a runner—or a walker—follow my longstanding running
blog that Crystal mentioned above for encouragement and a fun training and travel log.
----------Blog Tour DatesMonday, August 26 (today!) @ The MuffinStop by for an interview and book giveaway!
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/Wednesday, August 28 @ Bring on LemonsGiveaway of the intriguing anthology
Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions and your chance to join Cami as she writes about the insightful topic of “Remaking Yourself After Divorce”.
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/Friday, August 30 @ Steph the BookwormGet in on the giveaway and join Stephanie as she reviews the anthology, B
eyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions by Cami Ostman and Susan Tive.
http://www.stephthebookworm.com/Monday, September 2 @ Words, Crazy WordsRead what Susan Tive writes in her guest post about “Feminism and Religion” and get in on the giveaway and your chance to win a copy of the anthology
Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions.
http://wordscrazywords.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, September 4 @ Renee’s PagesRead what Renee's thoughts were after finishing the anthology,
Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions and partake in the giveaway for an opportunity to read this one for yourself!
http://www.reneespages.blogspot.com/Tuesday, September 10 @ All Things AudryDon't miss your chance to win a copy of
Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women of Extreme Religion and enjoy a guest post by author, Susan Tive with the intriguing topic of “Motherhood in and out of Religion”
http://allthingsaudry.blogspot.com/Thursday, September 12 @ Read These Books and Use Them!Don't miss your chance to win a copy of
Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women of Extreme Religion and join Margo as she shares her thoughts after reading this thought provoking anthology.
http://www.margodill.com/blog/Friday, September 13 @ World of My ImaginationDon't miss your chance to win a copy of
Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women of Extreme Religion and join Nicole as she shares her thoughts after reading this touching anthology.
http://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com/Tuesday, September 17 @ CMash ReadsJoin Susan and Cami as they enjoy the author spotlight at CMash Reads today. This is your chance at a giveaway for the anthology
Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions. Cheryl has done a fabulous job with an in-depth author interview and excerpt especially for you. Enjoy!
http://cmashlovestoread.com/Wednesday, September 18 @ Words from the HeartGiveaway and review of
Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of women in Extreme Religions. Find out more about the powerful words of this intriguing anthology!
http://contemplativeed.blogspot.comThursday, September 19 @ I’d So Rather Be ReadingDon't miss this opportunity to win your own copy of the moving anthology Beyond Belief; The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions this is one book you don't want to miss. Read a review just as expertly written as the book as Kelli shares her thoughts.
http://www.idsoratherbereading.com/Monday, September 23 @ Mom-E-CentricToday is a don’t miss day for a giveaway of the intriguing anthology
Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions, and guest post by Cami about “Being True to Yourself”
http://momecentric.com/Wednesday, September 25 @ ChoicesToday is your day for a giveaway of the anthology
Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions. This is also your opportunity to join Susan and Cami for a guest post titled: "Why Women Stay in Religious Communities"
http://madeline40.blogspot.com/To view all our touring authors, check out our
Events Calendar. Keep up with blog stops and giveaways in real time by following us on Twitter
@WOWBlogTour.
Get Involved! If you have a website or blog and would like to host one of our touring authors or schedule a tour of your own, please email us at
[email protected].
Book Giveaway Contest: Enter to win a copy of Beyond Belief! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. We will announce the winner in the Rafflecopter widget THIS Friday, August 30th.
Book Giveaway Contest: Enter to win a copy of
Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. We will announce the winner in the Rafflecopter widget THIS Friday, August 30th.
a Rafflecopter giveawayGood luck!
Publishers are buying picture books. To be marketable your nonfiction manuscript has to appeal to not only the young reader but also the adult buyer.
Your reader is interested in all kinds of things from animals to how things work. They are eager to explore their world. Although they are interested in a wide variety of things they are still kids so your manuscript has to have a kid friendly slant. In their biography of Abraham Lincoln, authors Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer focused on his sense of humor. The aptly named book? Lincoln Tells a Joke. But kid appeal isn’t enough to sell your manuscript. Adults like the topic. Kids like the slant.
Parents and other adults stand between you and your audience. Picture books, especially durable hard covers, aren’t cheap and adults aren’t going to plunk down $16.99 to $19.99 unless the book appeals to them as well. How you do this depends to some extent on who the reader is.
Because teachers use picture books in the classroom, it pays to know what young readers are studying. Check the Common Core Standards for the appropriate grade levels. No matter how you feel about this educational initiative, it can help you see who is reading what and at what level. In addition to their home in the classroom, picture books are read aloud at story times, in the classroom, at bedtime and more. Many a parent knows that if a child really loves a book, this might mean reading it 15 times in just a few days. Don’t torment the adult buyer. Make this experience as fun as possible with language that is playful, lyrical or rhythmic. Lisa Wheeler does this in Mammoths on the Move, a fun to read aloud rhyming story that appeals to both the adult reader and the child audience.
I hinted at this above but to have broad enough reader appeal, your book has to be something the reader will want to experience more than once. One way to do this is with a fun read aloud. Another way is to create a manuscript with dual texts.
A manuscript with dual texts not only introduces a younger reader to a new topic, but also gives an older reader more information. The main text is short and simple. It gives the younger reader what they need but also provides a framework for the older reader’s text. This comes in the form of sidebars that provide additional, in-depth information. In Where in the Wild?, David Schwartz gives young readers a series of poem that invite them to find the camouflaged animals hidden in the illustrations. The sidebars give in-depth information on each animal.
Create a nonfiction picture book with broad appeal and your work will find readers who want to experience it again and again.
--SueBE
I’m sure your fiction files are much like mine, whether you save piles of writing in online folders or cram typewritten pages into dented metal filing cabinets. I’ll bet you have plenty of pieces that have never been published, pieces that now languish, abandoned, dejected, demoralized. And why?
Well, probably because an editor rejected them.
It may seem tragic at the time, but rejection is not the end of the road to publication. What
is tragic is leaving those stories and poems and essays to lounge about while you peck away at your keyboard, becoming a better writer.
That’s right. Every day that you write, you’re becoming a better writer. You may not realize it, but you’re improving your craft. Every day that you
read good writing, or tips
about good writing, you’re picking up nuances or figuring out pitfalls. In short, you’re building necessary skills whenever you work. And because of this practice, you’re not the same writer today that you were yesterday. Or the day before that. Or the
month before that.
So what does that mean for you, the I-am-writer, hear-me roar?
Don’t give up on those old stories, those dejected poems, those languishing essays! Take them out and give them a read. You may be surprised at the gems waiting for you.
Now, technically, they may not be gems at first read. I mean, let’s be realistic. There may have been a very good reason why a piece of writing was rejected. But here’s the good news. Because you’re a better writer, you can peruse that piece of writing and figure out
why it was rejected.
I’m a big believer in going back to old writing, even though I have read some pretty cringe-worthy stuff and wondered how in the world I ever sent that piece of writing (and I use that term loosely) out into the world. But I almost always see something in that writing that makes me stop and think, “Hold on, Cathy. You have something here.”
And wonder of wonders! I can see—almost immediately—what I couldn’t see before! I can see where the plot went south, or that a character limped along, or that a theme is completely missing. And even more wondrous?
I know how to fix it!So I attack that writing. I polish up that gem and make it sparkle. More often than not, the new and improved piece goes back out into the world—and it’s not rejected. It’s accepted for publication, or places in a contest.
Honestly, all the work you do
will pay off! Why, you’re a better writer already for having stopped by here to read The Muffin. Now all you have to do is open a file, pluck something out—and (re)write!
~
Cathy C. Hall (Hear me roar!)
At various times in my life, I've complained about my jobs. Yeah, I admit it publicly. I'm not always perky and silly and punny. Sometimes I yell and get angry and frustrated just like every other human being on the planet.
My current job is no exception. While I love working with children, love teaching technology, and love the people I work with, it saps nearly all my energy. During the school year when I come home at night I am a nearly lifeless husk of a pod-person. Being an introvert in an extrovert's world will do that. Sometimes I wonder how I drive home in my dazed stupor. I have no active brain cells left to write with, therefore, August through May, I write almost nothing creative at all. Which makes me sad. Nine months of the year lost because I have to eat, pay for a place to live, pay insurance, and fill my car with gas.
And I begin to wonder...wouldn't I be a better writer if I could quit my job and write full time? If my husband made enough money for us to live on, I could do the freelance gig to fill in the gaps while writing my stories and novels on the side and that would be bliss incarnate. What if we cut back a little more here and there, went out to eat less, and saved our money more? We could make it. It would make me a better writer. Really!
Maybe.
Then again, when I look at the YA novel I'm writing I couldn't have done that without LIVING around children who deal with real issues of abuse, neglect, learning disabilities, and social dysfunctions every day. Currently I have two people very close to me who are going through very scary medical situations. If I didn't take time off from writing and go visit them and cry with them and comfort them, I wouldn't see what going through those situations felt like.
Research is a wonderful tool. The Internet is my friend when it comes to many aspects of my books because I can't possibly know everything about everything. But when it comes to PEOPLE, nothing substitutes the actual living of your life to make your writing real. You will create more believable, more REAL characters when you really live. Sometimes that means you're not able to write as much as you want.
But some day, there will be a day when I won't have breakfast duty, lunch duty and bus duty all in the same day that I have three meetings, no prep hour, and have to break up a girl fight. (Girl fights are the WORST!) I look forward to that day.
Ah, retirement. Fourteen years down the road. Unless my husband suddenly gets a six-figure job. Which that works, too.
* * *
Janet L. Cannon is a happy wife, a technology teacher, an avid runner, an origami enthusiast, an obsessive crafter, a gaming nerd, a book hog, a graphic design enthusiast, and happens to have a little time between learning new hobbies to write stories, essays, and novels. She has both her BA and MA in English and is proud to have never had a job that required her to say, “Do you want fries with that?” She blogs at Revision is a Dish Best Served Cold and can also be found on Facebook. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Good morning!
Well - I blew it yesterday with my poor parenting and then I fell asleep without setting up my blog post for the Muffin...I have to tell you that this very morning I feel like a complete and utter failure. However, my motto in life is that when I get lemons I will turn them into lemonade. At the end of my blog posts I always say the following to readers: May your paths be abundantly filled with lemons, sugar, and sunshine! I truly believe that those not so comfortable moments (the lemons) are catalysts for change. They are moments that allow us clarity and opportunity. So, instead of beating myself up this morning, I thought I would share my thoughts...
I am 35 weeks pregnant and had no business taking my 5 and 6 year old to the county fair yesterday. It was 90 degrees in the shade and I should have been sitting home with my feet up. Instead, I spent 5 hours at the fair walking around being uncomfortable. When it was time to go I of course pushed a little harder and let the children go on a few more rides. Unfortunately my generosity was not met with gratitude. I listened to quite a bit of whining on the way to the car AND the entire way home.
Why is it so hard to say no? Why didn't I just stay home and tell the children we can all go next year after their brother is here and mommy feels better?
Similarly, last week I agreed to help coordinate a charity event in town. I wanted to say no, but instead I agreed and then felt like I had too many irons in the fire. My inability to say no seems to be the root cause of most of the stress in my life.
Do you find that as an author you are pulled in too many directions as well? Is it book signings, guest blog posts, social events? Have you learned to say no? How did you learn that important lesson and can you share with us (me)?
Now I'm off to feed calves and help with hay - again....unable to say no...and did I mention the 17 pounds of garden fresh tomatoes I am supposed to turn into salsa and can later today to...Help!!
Crystal J. Casavant-Otto is a church musician, business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Reedsville, Wisconsin with her husband, two young children (Carmen 6 and Andre 5), three dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, and over 200 Holsteins. Crystal and her husband, Mark, are expecting another son at the end of September. You can find Crystal blogging at: http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/
Drama Queen.
The pink, black and white sign hangs in my classroom.
No, I don't start drama. (Insert sly, snarky, winking face here.)
I teach the art of acting and production to high schoolers. We spend nearly four months perfecting a 30 minute play for competition. I have 59 students in class; approximately 80 students comprise our high school, so...
It's tough finding a script for a cast this large, so for the second year in a row, I've written our script. Last year, I wrote "Ladder, Engine." The play told the story of the 9/11 firefighters and the aftermath their families dealt with.
This year, I'm telling the story of a boy whose body was found in a Nebraska field nearly 30 years ago. The case, dubbed Little Boy Blue, was found on a cold December morning wearing blue footie pajamas.
I'm putting the finishing touches on the script this week, and then it's time for tryouts!
Creating drama comes easily. The structure of a play is easy to follow and since I've coached drama since dinosaurs roamed the earth (I know some kids think this is true), I've developed characters and refined character traits of Alice in Wonderland, several of Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers, and average Janes and Joes.
If you are interested in writing drama, you may want to consider some of these tried - and so far, successful - tips:
- Create empathy. Establishing a connection with the audience is important. I like to begin in tableau, with almost every character on stage, to create an amazing stage picture AND to develop that sense of empathy between actor and audience.
- Beef up the tension. What works for me - and I try to create this dual threat on stage through staging elements - is to create two lines of tension and conflict. If you would look at a graph of the first line of conflict, it would be filled with peaks and valleys. Obviously, it keeps the audience guessing, but that wave of emotion helps tip #1 happen. Then, I like to use a secondary character as a means of conflict. Add this line of tension to the graph mentioned above, and you'll see a flat line of sorts. That's not bad, though! It means the tension and conflict is right there, always present, always a problem. Drama NEEDS drama!
- Use the onion effect. One of my favorite movie lines comes from Shrek when the ogre is talking to Donkey and the convo turns into "I'm like an onion, you have to peel back one layer at a time. Do the same thing with characters. Strip away the outer shell and show the audience what makes the character tick.
- Develop a timeline. Since the plays I've written follow current events/real-life true crime, I draw a timeline of actual events that can be incorporated into the play. Don't forget to add some pop culture elements. For example, in last year's play, I searched for hit music from 2001, viewed wedding pics from that time to see what trends were in style, and discovered Bratz dolls were popular. These tiny staging elements help solidify the overall effect of the play.
- Come full circle. I tend to use flashbacks when writing drama. Why? It's an easy way to tie past events to the present. It also becomes an effective tool to use to wrap up the storytelling. In last year's production, the play began with five firemen rushing toward the Twin Towers. The audience heard their panicked conversation before the men entered the Towers. The play ended in the same way: the firemen stormed the stage and went into a freeze before entering the Tower. The circular motion keeps action moving.
If you enjoy theater and can't locate a script that clicks with your cast, why not try to create more drama and write your own production.
Then you, too, can join the Drama Queen ranks.
by LuAnn Schindler. Read more of her work at http://luannschindler.com.
 |
| Some of the Lit Ladies at a retreat |
You are currently reading a group blog--did you know that? Basically, it's a blog that a group of writers post on, instead of just one blogger who might every once in a while have a guest blogger. Recently, my critique group
started a group blog, and I am super excited about it. The six of us call ourselves "The Lit Ladies." Each of us has a pen name on the blog from Baby Boomer Lady to Busy Lady. Then there's me--
Sandwich Lady.
Our names tell a little about what we'll blog about on our given day. I'm blogging about being a member of the sandwich generation. One of our members is Little Lady; she's blogging about being the youngest in our group, a senior in high school. If you want to check out our blog and see how we set it up, please do! We are currently having a contest to
win Claire Cook's latest book, Time Flies.
In just the few short weeks since our blog has been live, I've realized the benefits of being a part of a group blog. Here are a few ah-ha moments I've had.
- Other members can help you with tech problems. I had never used this version of Wordpress we are using, and I couldn't figure out how to get the cute photo with my headline on the home page. I put my problem out to the other members of my critique group (we also have a private Facebook group for discussions), and immediately they told me what I forgot to do. So, instead of spending hours on this, I had my problem solved in minutes with my fellow bloggers.
- Your content is fresh, and it's not sucking up all your writing time. We have six bloggers! We are each blogging between two and four times a month. We are all working on finding guest bloggers or authors to interview or contests to hold. With your own blog, it's all you. If you don't blog for two weeks because your mom is in the hospital, your content is stale. With the group blog, everyone pitches in and helps keep the content fresh.
- All bloggers have different contacts. Six bloggers means that many more people announcing posts on social media and even talking about the blog with their friends and family! We are getting new people on our blog that we might not have each known individually. This widens the audience for anything that we are trying to promote.
- Blog costs can be split! So far, we don't have much cost. But if we do incur any, it can be split SIX WAYS instead of one person paying for everything.
- It creates a community. We were already close. Critique group members often are. But I feel like this blog and our Facebook group have brought us even closer. It's fun to read what each other posts and to keep track of what's going on in everyone's lives in-between critique group sessions!
What do you think? Would you like to be a part of a group blog? Are you? If so, what's the benefit for you?  |
| Margo at a book signing |
Margo L. Dill is the author of Finding My Place: One Girl's Strength at Vicksburg and blogs as the Sandwich Lady on The Literary Ladies blog.
& giveaway contest!An expertly written Southern Drama!
A Southern Place is a moving book that is expertly written. Mary Jane Hatcher—everyone calls her Mojo—is beat up bad. She's in the ICU of Phoebe Putney, the largest hospital in South Georgia, barely able to talk. How Mojo goes from being that skinny little girl in Nolan, a small forgotten town along the Flint River, to the young woman now fighting for her life, is where this story begins and ends.
Mojo, her mama Delores and her Uncle Calvin Mullinax, like most folks in Nolan, have just tried to make the best of it. Of course, people aren't always what they seem, and Phil Foster—the handsome, spoiled son of the richest man in the county—is no exception.
As the story of the Mullinax family unfolds, Mojo discovers a family's legacy can be many things: a piece of earth, a familiar dwelling, a shared bond. And although she doesn't know why she feels such a bond with Phil Foster, it is there all the same, family or not. And she likes to think we all have us a fresh start. Like her mama always said, the past is all just water under the bridge. Mojo, after going to hell and back, finally comes to understand what that means.
Paperback: 294 pages
Publisher: WiDo Publishing (August 6, 2013)
ISBN: 1937178390
Twitter hashtag: #ASPLittle
A Southern Place is available as a print and e-book at Amazon.Book Giveaway Contest:To win a copy of
A Southern Place, please enter using the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post. The giveaway contest closes THIS Friday, August 23rd at 12:00 AM EST. We will announce the winner the same day in the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!
About the Author:Adopted at birth, Elaine lived her first twenty years on her parents’ agricultural farm in rural southern Georgia. She was a public school music teacher for twenty-seven years, and continued to dabble with sideline interests in spite of her paid profession. Playing in her first band at age fourteen, she seemed to almost always be involved in at least one band or another. Elaine’s writing began in high school, publishing in local newspapers, then educational journals, then later in online fiction journals. In 2008 she enrolled in the MFA program at Spalding University in Louisville, where upon graduation finished her second novel manuscript. Recently retiring after eleven years as a high school chorus and drama director, Elaine now lives in north Georgia with her husband, an ever-growing library of used books, and many adopted animals. She is excited to announce her debut novel
A Southern Place.Find out more about Elaine by visiting her online:
Author blog:
http://elainedrennonlittle.wordpress.com/Author Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/elaine.d.little-----Interview by Crystal J. Otto WOW: Elaine, your background is very interesting, can you point to one person in particular, or one life event that really pushed you in the direction of publishing A Southern Place? Elaine: Wow, that’s a pretty loaded question, but I’ll do my best. The original story for
A Southern Place was actually a submission for
The First Line, a print literary journal that provides what must be the first sentence of all submitted work. For that issue, the line was something like “Time there was not measured by days or weeks, but by the number of eighteen-wheelers that drove through town.” I loved the sentence; it was easy to see Newton, the tiny Georgia county seat where I grew up, as being the very place in the picture it painted. My story was not chosen for the magazine, but I couldn’t seem to let go of the idea, so I continued to play with it. After being accepted into an MFA program in 2010, I tweaked the story and added a little more, turning it in for work-shopping at my first residency there. I guess you could say it was well-received: my professors and fellow students all seemed to like it, their biggest criticism being that it was NOT a short story, but the beginning of a larger work. I kept going, and by the end of my second semester I had finished the first (of MANY) drafts of the book you see today.
WOW: Glad you didn’t give up after the rejection! You mentioned in your biography you were adopted at birth, did that life event play a role in the way you wrote the family bonds in A Southern Place? Can you tell us more about the characters (specifically uncle Cal)?Elaine: The characters in
A Southern Place are totally fictional, but I guess they could be considered composites of people I’ve known in South Georgia. My adopted family took me home when I was five days old, so they feel as much “mine” as any blood relatives, I believe. The Mullinax family’s close ties with home, family, and particularly with the land that they cultivate would be very much like my own. Whereas my own family was of the more commonplace conservative and church-going style, the Mullinax family is more relaxed and “free-wheeling” than mine. As an imaginative child, I suppose Mojo’s family might have been one of the many stereotypes of families I fantasized about when wondering about my birthparents.
Uncle Cal is perhaps my favorite character—he is the son my father should have had. His bond with the land is much like that of my dad’s; it is its own religion. (On a side note, Mr. Danner, the county extension agent, more or less IS my father’s cameo appearance!) Cal has the most positive attitude in the face of continuing bad luck, and relentless work and belief in “life being what you make of it” only make him stronger. He is not without fault; his alcoholism drives him to an early grave. Cal’s short relationship with Claudette was the most “fun to write” chapter of the book, and his funeral is, to me, the most beautifully written section.
WOW: Cal sure was a favorite for me too; you did a fabulous job writing each and every character. In particular, I love the independent women in your novel; in what ways are you similar to the characters of MoJo and/or her mother? Elaine: Goodness, Crystal, you cut right to the chase don’t you? Mojo is about my age. As stated earlier, we didn’t come from the same kind of family, but I spent a lot of my younger years “pretending” to have other lives, and Mojo’s strangely dysfunctional family would have been one I’d have liked to play out in my head. (I don’t claim to know why it is, but kids with enough food, clothing, books, and more-than-necessities seem to find the opposite as somewhat fascinating. In my defense, I also liked to imagine myself as Laura Ingalls Wilder, Anne Frank, a missionary in China, and a little later, one of those pioneer pseudo-sluts in horrendous paperbacks like
Sweet Savage Love and
The Flame and the Flower. Go figure!)
I love that you infer that I might have the strength of these characters, but sadly, I do not. I’ve had a good life, but I had great parents who dedicated much of their lives to make sure I was fed, clothed, educated and loved. I’ve never been faced with the kind of challenges Mojo saw; I’m not sure I’d be half as resourceful, but thanks for the compliment.
As for her mother, Delores, parts of her story are closer to home. I openly admitted to my high school students that in 1974, I was a statistic. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that there is only 17 years difference in my and my oldest daughter’s ages. If Delores’s first visit to the gynecologist seems real, it’s because I lived it. It was, to this day, one of the most humbling experiences of my life, and it breaks my heart to think of any young girl in the same scenario today, but it does happen. Society may be more accepting, but the feeling of humiliation hasn’t progressed so far.
WOW: Thank you for such a candid answer and you really wrote those scenes so well, it’s easy to tell they are close to your heart. On a lighter note, what is your favorite book? What is it about that book that you love so much? Elaine: My favorite first sentence is in
Peachtree Road by Anne River Siddons.
My favorite paragraph is on the last page of
The Great Santini by Pat Conroy. Though I love Caldwell, Faulker, and dozens of traditional southern literary writers, I’ve only been recently been able to admit what must be my favorite book:
http://elainedrennonlittle.wordpress.com/2013/07/14/liberating-me/WOW: It’s hard to pick a favorite, isn’t it? I have trouble with that myself. Who was most influential in your writing and publishing? Elaine: My high school English teacher, Mrs. Virginia Newby Jones, told me I should write a book. It took an additional 35 years, but I finally did.
Suzanne Kingsbury, a wonderful writer and book doctor, taught me a whole world of ways to conserve words and make my writing more believable. She also encouraged me to follow my dream of going back to school for an MFA. I thank every teacher, mentor, and fellow student at Spalding University—being part of that community was the greatest experience of my adult life.
WOW: Elaine, you grew up on a farm and I happen to own a farm; I know firsthand it’s a lot of work, but what did you enjoy most? Was there a particular chore your liked or an animal that became your favorite?Elaine: Here’s what I mean about having an easy life: I grew up on a large farm that produced cattle, swine, peanuts, soybeans, corn, and cotton. However, I never had any farming-type chores because I had severe childhood asthma; there were times in elementary school when my parents were told by doctors to take me to higher altitude, even out of state, until it rained again. Heat and dust were lethal to me, so I spent most of my childhood inside, reading books or playing the piano. As a teenager, my dad found me so mechanically UN-inclined that he promised to keep me in automatic-steered vehicles if I never again asked him to teach me to drive a stick shift. I do have a special affinity for admiring fields of crops or grazing cattle. And I still have a talent for being a bit of a “cat whisperer” to feral cats. That’s about it—I told you I had it easy!
WOW: I won’t share that answer with my children—they’ll be stuck helping in the barn. You may not be mechanical, but your writing skills make up for it!
You must have some great stories to tell after more than a decade as a music and drama teacher; do you have one story in particular that sticks out as the funniest or craziest?Elaine: In 28 years, I have TOO many funny stories. I guess my particular favorite came from the class I “created” in my final years—My Men’s Chorus class.
In high school, girls may join a chorus class for many reasons, and some of them are NOT musical—because she doesn’t want to get sweaty in PE, break a nail in pottery, or because it may not be socially cool to be in vocational classes. You’d be surprised at the number of females who LETTER in chorus yet only truly participate by filling a seat or lip-syncing when the teacher is watching. This is not to give girls in chorus a bad name as a whole, but such young ladies ARE out there.
The boys, however, are generally different. Since through the years many of the high school “jocks and jerks” have inferred that singing is a “less than manly” activity, when a young man signs up for a chorus class, he usually WANTS to sing. My men’s class started with 9 students. Within five years, it had over 30 and was the highlight of my concerts.
It did take some getting used to. Having no brothers or sons, I was not comfortable with the amount of testosterone in the room. The discipline principal gave me no help, telling me “you asked for it, now you have to deal with it” when I wrote up a young man for “purposeful flatulence.” I learned that the punch line “that’s what she said” would HAVE to be tolerated at least once during every class period. Once I got over these few guidelines, it was all good.
These guys not only wanted to sing, they got excited about it. They sang sailor songs, and folk songs, and Beach Boys classics. They learned to build chords, we worked from bell-to-bell without stopping, and by the third year we were even warming up in four-part harmony. We produced three state champion quartets.
They told me far more than I wanted to know. At least once a week I had to remind them that I did not need nor want to hear their personal feelings about particular females—whether Britney Spears, Megan Fox, or girls they actually knew. And then one day there was grand finale of all class stories: the day they taught Logan to “booty dance.”
Logan, a handsome, shy, and multi-talented freshman became quite the ladies’ man after being seen as the shirtless bongo drummer in our region championship musical. He came into class “pumped,” telling the guys that he’d just been asked to the prom by a “hot” senior girl. There were cat-calls, high fives, and such, then one of the older guys asked if he was ready to “booty dance.”
“Yeah,” he said, “I know how to dance. I mean, I’ve been going to dances since middle school. It’s no different, right?”
The older guys laughed, soon joined in by the rest. Logan simply looked confused.
“Why are you laughing? What’s funny?” he asked.
“Poor baby,” said John, an older jock-Latino who just happened to sing as well as he could through a football. “Well guys,” he said to his friends. “Guess we’ll have to teach him.”
“Yeah,” said Adam. “We can’t have him giving us choir boys a bad name. Get the door!” He nodded toward the door as another student made sure it was secured.
For the next forty minutes, four juniors and and five seniors proceeded to teach, in hands-on methods, their clueless friend the finer points of booty dancing. They started out holding one of a partner’s hands, while doing a slow and seductive hip-sway thing.
When Logan didn’t “get it,” one boy placed his hands OVER Logan’s hips and guided them from side to side, then circling, while another boy performed exactly the same moves while standing directly in front of Logan. In a few minutes, four or five boys were all doing the same moves, stand one-by-one in front of Logan, like dancing dominoes.
As Logan began to move easier, the leader removed his hand from Logan's hips, now facing him; he held one hand of Logan’s then offered various pointers of what to do next.
“Smile,” John said, looking into Logan’s eyes, almost—seductively? “Look into her eyes,” he said. “Then reach up, maybe brush her hair off her shoulder, onto her back.” John did this as he explained, brushing imaginary hair off Logan’s shoulder, then nonchalantly dragging his hand down Logan’s arm, hip, then lingering for a moment at thigh-level.
By this time all but the very shyest boys were participating. They went from wandering hands to rotating pelvises, front-to-front and then back-to-front. As John assumed the “man” position by extending his bent leg, Logan was coerced to the girl position—straddling John’s leg and “humping” over it. I’d chaperoned a dance or two, and it bothered me when “real” couples did this, yet it was somewhere between unnerving and totally hilarious to see a room full of teenaged boys trying this in unison. They were fair about it, once Logan understood the “girl’s” part, they let him graduate to the other. There were a few more moves and ideas carried out, but I pretty much lost track after that one.
The bell rang. The boys stopped their antics, grabbed their books and headed out for their next class, acting as though nothing out of the ordinary had just occurred.
I was ever so happy to have planning next—it took at least that long to gather my senses for a “normal” class…
WOW: I’m so glad you were able to share that with us; everyone can use a good laugh!
You credit a writing workshop for pointing you in the right direction for publishing A Southern Place, please tell us more? What advice would you give an author looking to be published?Elaine: I attended a seminar sponsored by the Atlanta Writer’s Club where an agent gave her “what we’re looking for” speech. I followed the list explicitly, and within a couple of months a got a letter in the mail. She (the agent) was covered in clients, but liked the book well enough to pass it on to another agent in the firm. On Valentine’s Day of 2012, I received a letter with a contract from Amanda Wells of The Sullivan-Maxx Agency. Three months later, she had found a publisher who wanted my book. I consider myself VERY lucky; I’m sure there are books much better than mine that simply never have the right combination of events to make it happen.
WOW: Any sneak peeks for us about what is in your future? Is there a sequel to A Southern Place? Do we get to learn more about MoJo?Elaine: I’ve had several people ask me that; I hadn’t really considered it, but maybe…
I’m a little more than halfway through my next book, currently called (I’ve learned that titles can ALWAYS change)
Songbird Divas. It’s the first in a trilogy about three middle-aged women all involved in music as a career, and it’s set in North Georgia. I’m also playing with the idea of doing another revision of my first book, “Birds Flying South,” set in the same location as
A Southern Place.
WOW: Thank you so much for allowing us some insight into your life, experiences, and your first novel. I personally cannot wait to read more from you Elaine. Thank you so much!----------
Blog Tour Dates Monday, August 19 (today!) @ The MuffinStop by for an interview and book giveaway!
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/Tuesday, August 20 @ Words, Crazy WordsToday is a great opportunity to sit down with Elaine as she blogs about “Book Clubs.” Don’t forget to sign up to win your own copy of Elaine’s expertly written book
A Southern Place!
http://wordscrazywords.blogspot.com/Wednesday, August 21 @ Found Between the CoversWin a copy of
A Southern Place by Elaine Drennon Little and read what Sherrey Meyer has to say in her honest review of this first novel by a talented new voice in southern fiction.
http://foundbetweenthecovers.wordpress.com/Thursday, August 22 @ Bring On LemonsGet in on the giveaway and join WOW!'s own Crystal Otto as she reviews Elaine Drennon Little’s first novel,
A Southern Place.
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/Friday, August 23 @ CMash ReadsDon't miss today's giveaway and book review for Elaine Drennon Little's
A Southern Place #ASPLittle!
http://cmashlovestoread.com/Saturday, August 24 @ Memoir Writer’s JourneyKathleen Pooler reviews and shares her thoughts on
A Southern Place and offers readers her insight as well as a giveaway. Don’t miss this stop!
http://krpooler.com/Monday, August 26 @ Books I Think You Should ReadFind out what Elizabeth Parker has to say after reading Elaine Drennon Little's debut novel,
A Southern Place and don't miss out on this great giveaway!
http://booksithinkyoushouldread.blogspot.com/Tuesday, August 27 @ Renee’s PagesDon’t miss Elaine Drennon Little and her guest post about “Southern Fiction” and this giveaway for Elaine’s fabulous southern fiction novel titled
A Southern Place.
http://www.reneespages.blogspot.com/Wednesday, August 28 @ Steph the BookwormGet in on the giveaway and join Stephanie as she reviews Elaine Drennon Little’s first novel,
A Southern Place.
http://www.stephthebookworm.com/Thursday, August 29 @ Bette Lee Crosby
Elaine Drennon Little visits the website of fellow author Bette Lee Crosby and Elaine discusses “Literary Fiction” and offers a giveaway of her debut novel
A Southern Place.
http://betteleecrosby.com/Monday, September 2 @ All Things AudryDon't miss your chance to win a copy of A Southern Place and enjoy a guest post by author, Elaine Drennon Little as she shares “My Favorite Authors/Favorite Books”
http://allthingsaudry.blogspot.com/Tuesday, September 3 @ Tiffany Talks BooksJoin Elaine Drennon Little as she visits Tiffany Talks Books for a promo post, guest post about "Arts in Schools" and a giveaway for her debut novel
A Southern Place!
http://tiffanytalksbooks.com/Wednesday, September 4 @ My Fiction NookNow is your chance - be part of the giveaway for this fabulous Southern Fiction Novel and hear from Elaine Drennon Little as she chats about her experience with “Reading Among Farm Families” and shares more about her first novel,
A Southern Place. This is a post you won’t want to miss!
http://www.myfictionnook.com/Thursday, September 5 @ The Book BagThe Spotlight at the Book Bag is none other than Elaine Drennon Little and her debut novel,
A Southern Place #ASPLittle; check out this great blog stop and get in on the givewaway!
http://susan-thebookbag.blogspot.com/Friday, September 6 @ I’d So Rather Be ReadingElaine Drennon Little shares her thoughts on Book Clubs in Schools and offers a giveaway of her debut novel,
A Southern Place. This is a stop you won't want to miss!
http://www.idsoratherbereading.com/Monday, September 9 @ Mom-E-CentricElaine Drennon Little lets us in on her thoughts about “Free Writing vs. Controlled” and a chance for the giveaway of her newly released novel,
A Southern Place!
http://momecentric.com/Tuesday, September 10 @ Thoughts in ProgressDon't miss this giveaway opportunity for A Southern Place (#ASPLittle) and read what Elaine Drennon Little has to say about "Reading in the New South" as her tour takes her to Thoughts in Progress as a guest blogger!
http://masoncanyon.blogspot.com/Thursday, September 12 @ Words from the HeartHear from author of A Southern Place (#ASPLittle) as Elaine Drennon Little shares her thoughts about “Creative arts Programs in Schools”
http://contemplativeed.blogspot.com/Friday, September 13 @ Margo L. DillFind out what Margo is thinking after reading
A Southern Place by Elaine Drennon Little and be sure to participate in the giveaway for this debut novel!
http://margodill.com/blog/ To view all our touring authors, check out our
Events Calendar. Keep up with blog stops and giveaways in real time by following us on Twitter
@WOWBlogTour.
Get Involved! If you have a website or blog and would like to host one of our touring authors or schedule a tour of your own, please email us at
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As the mother of two children in elementary school, the past few weeks have been a little crazy with back-to-school clothes shopping, purchasing and sorting school supplies and meeting with our new teachers to discuss expectations for their learning this year. While I love summer, balancing work and the kids can get more challenging when you work from home. Because of this, I’m often ready for the start of school because I can get back to focusing on my writing projects without feeling guilty. As I was knee-deep in my daughter’s closet a few days ago, I started thinking about how other writers can also benefit from this hectic time of year, too.
1. Stock up on writing supplies. Take advantage of back-to-school sales and coupons at your favorite retail stores and restock any office supplies that might be getting low. I personally used my discounts to purchase Post-it notes, notepads and printer paper, something I never can seem to keep in stock.
2. Organize your workspace. Prepare for your next season of writing by cleaning off your desk, organizing the files on your computer and recycling any old books or magazines cluttering up your workspace. Chances are, you’ll come across some old story ideas you never fleshed out or unearth some new ideas along the way.
3. Learn something new. Make a list of writing-related books or blogs you want to check out and dive in. Or, join a professional organization or take a class on a topic that will benefit your writing career, whether it’s online (we have an impressive roster here at WOW!) or at a local college.
4. Hold yourself accountable. My children receive report cards three different times throughout the school year. As writers, we should also set goals designed to encourage us to improve our craft or break into a new publication. Last fall, I actually wrote up an informal list of writing goals and tacked it up on the wall in my office. I’m proud to say that while I didn’t meet all of them, I did accomplish several of those goals and having a visual reminder helped me stay motivated.
5. Display your work. My refrigerator and bulletin board are often covered with my children’s artwork and writing assignments. Why can’t writers do the same? Create your very own inspiration board, whether on Pinterest or on the wall near where you work. Cut out published articles or pages from a recent chapter you’ve been working on and pin them there as a way to celebrate your hard work along the way.
Are you doing anything differently this fall? I’d love to hear any new goals or ideas you have in the comments below!
Renee Roberson is an award-winning freelance writer and editor who blogs at Renee’s Pages.
Photo above by rebeca_falcó on Flickr.com
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Focus is at the heart of success. Unfortunately, we do not live in a world that nurtures concentration and single-minded devotion to one’s art. So, how can you minimize those pesky interruptions that keep you from writing?
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Distractions are going to be the death of my writing. The "platform building" aspect of writing: blogs, Facebook, Twitter, are important and deserve, as you mentioned, a selected time during the day for attention. But they can too easily start to be "productive procrastination" distractions as I numb out on the computer and avoid the creative work of writing. I. Must. Be. Better.
Computer and phone distractions are the worst. It does help to silence incoming e-mail, texts, etc., or even shut down everything except the Word doc you're writing. Easier said than done though!
I laughed at practice saying no. It does actually take practice--not so much the physical act of saying NO (although that may help) but the guilt/indecision--should I do this? after you say no. Believe me, I need to practice!
I needed this 'smack upside the head'. If my writing is going well, time just slips away and I lose track of everything else, to the point of letting the kettle boil dry. If I'm bogged down, everything else is appealing, from Facebook to running a load of laundry. MUST learn to focus and stick it out, no matter what. Thank you for the reminder and suggestions.
Julie, I see your point. Sometimes productive procrastination on tweets and Facebook posts can be a good thing. But the "numbing out" might be the moment to take a break. Then switch to your creative writing. Let me know if that works for you.
MP, sometimes it helps to set aside certain periods during the day when you are "off the grid." But let people around you know when that is so they won't get nervous about you not responding. No need to upset anybody.
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Lynn, sometimes it's a good thing to do something else like the laundry when you are stuck. Just instruct your subconscious mind to find a solution to whatever is in the way. Going for a walk or meeting a friend can also give you new insights that will bring you back to your creative writing.